


Where the Flowers Grow

by VenomQuill



Category: Undertale (Video Game)
Genre: Abandonment, Alternate Universe - Underfell (Undertale), Blind Frisk, Chara's not evil, F/F, F/M, Frisk and Chara are Female, Suicidal Thoughts, Suicide Attempt, close to "canon" Underfell as possible, it's a plot point, minor swears like you'd see in any Undyne fanart
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-11-02
Updated: 2019-01-28
Packaged: 2019-08-06 16:53:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 38
Words: 105,230
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16391531
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VenomQuill/pseuds/VenomQuill
Summary: Frisk Foster, a blind twelve-year-old girl, is thrown--or, rather, lands in--a world of monsters. In this land of "Kill or Be Killed," she finds friendship in the form of a tattered, bossy flower and the ghost of a long-dead child.Will she stick to her morals and SAVE the monsters of the Underground, or will she be sucked into the pit of fear and hopelessness and give in to the fear-inspired concept of "Kill or Be Killed" the denizens of the deep live within?





	1. Summer Chill

**Author's Note:**

> Find the Title Card: ["Where the Flowers Grow"](https://www.deviantart.com/venomquill/art/Where-the-Flowers-Grow-Title-Card-770918507?ga_submit_new=10%3A1541178108)

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Birds are singing, flowers are blooming, on days like these...

Light footsteps disrupted the quiet swishing of the leaves in the song-filled forest. The summer sun set the lush trees and undergrowth and the scurrying critters of the forest. The sun glowed upon a young girl walking in a quiet line. She tapped at the ground before her, revealing roots and rocks that she might otherwise trip on. Her clouded brown gaze stared, unfocused, at her bare feet, cut by thorns and bracken and sharp gravel. One hand slid over the trees and brush at her side.

She tipped her head as she walked. All that blood… something should come out soon enough. Some big bad wolf with giant teeth could come prowling out of the forest with his fierce pack behind him. Or a bear with long teeth gleaming in the sunlight could trample the underground. A cat could wait in a tree above, tensing, wiggling its hindquarters, waiting for her to come within range.

Yet, no such mercy was given as she aimlessly wandered.

Eventually, she came to a stop. A cave’s mouth gaped ahead of her. Rocks like jagged teeth greeted her from the entrance flanked by plant life. She shambled up to the cave, gingerly picking over vines and roots and stray rocks. Eventually, her stick stopped jerking back as it didn’t run into an obstacle. Before her was a giant gaping hole in the ground. There was no bottom to be seen.

_“Those who climb the mountain never come back.”_

Was this what those rumors meant? A giant bottomless pit that would swallow her up, erase her name from the land of the living? Rid her family of the rotten fruit that still clung to the tree? Perhaps. Or perhaps it was just a pit in the ground.

Nonetheless, she stepped forward until her toes were on the edge of the pit. She took a deep breath and started to hum a soft, melancholic song. Then, she fell.

*          *          *          *          *

A shaky breath escaped the little chest of the fallen child as she slowly opened her eyes. Before she could take in her surroundings, a golden flower tickled her nose. She let out a small sneeze and sat up and rubbed her eyes.

Ancient pillars rose from the ground around the small cavern. Most of the ground on the cavern was dirt with scruffy grass yearning to soak in the meager sunlight that filtered in through the hole in the ceiling. The edges of the cavern untouched by sunlight were a consistent brown as stone-flecked dirt made the ground around her. However, most of the grass was overshadowed by the large patch of blossoming golden flowers. A name-brand, unopened chocolate bar lay next to the patch of flowers.

She cocked her head. Suddenly, a monotonous, soft voice breathed into her ears _, “It’s a bed of golden flowers. They must have broken your fall.”_ The young one jumped and whipped her head around, as if that would help her. However, not one living thing was in the vicinity–human or otherwise. There was a hole in the wall where a tunnel started. Yet nothing was in it.

She shook her head, put the chocolate bar in her pocket, and got up. Some seeds stubbornly stuck to her blue-and-pink striped shirt. She sighed and brushed off the seeds as best she could before she stepped onto the dirt and stone. Almost immediately she lost her footing and fell forward again. The scrapes that sunk into her feet and palms stung, as did the bruises she acquired after falling. She picked up the stick that had gone with her when she fell and stood herself up. After a few paces, feeling returned to her legs.

She slowly turned and walked into the tunnel, tapping on the ground as she did so to keep from running into any more walls or holes. The tunnel itself was short. Just out of sight of the golden flowers, it took a sharp turn. A pair of purple, cracked pillars created a doorway. There might have been a door there, at one point in time. However, the ruined pillars had cracks and holes where the fixtures could have been. Broken stone lay on the other side. It was so old, it nearly blended into the ground.

The young one continued forward. Just before her, a broken beam of sunlight filtered through the stone above. Green grass tentatively poked out of the ground under it. In the center of the beam was as single golden flower, bent as if wilted.

Her curious steps continued a bit farther before halting. The flower, despite the cave having no form of wind, moved. It straightened its little green stem and its head turned until the face of the tattered flower faced her. The young one gasped and took a step back. Two wide eyes stared at her from the little flower’s face. A concerned expression of shock dressed its features. When the young one didn’t make another move, the flower’s look of shock evaporated. It instead put on a friendly smile. “Howdy! I’m Flowey. Flowey the Flower!” When the young human didn’t respond, the flower’s smile faltered. “Uh… You’re new to the underground, arent’cha?”

The young human nodded. Somehow, a flower was talking to her. Was a flower named Flowey the gate keeper of the afterlife? No, no usually skeletons or cats were considered gatekeepers. Maybe the stories she read were wrong? They very well could be. After all, no one died and lived to tell the tale.

Flowey’s small smile widened into a happier grin at her participation. However, it quickly began to fall. “Golly! You must be pretty worried.”

The young human nodded.

The flower looked back at the darkness behind him and then forward. “Y-you’d better leave! Go back home!” A sudden urgency spiked his voice. “Th-they’re coming! She always comes. I-If you don’t leave, she, _Toriel_ , will find you!”

The young human’s eyes grew round. Was she not allowed to be in the afterlife? Or was there a soul-stealing demon nearby?

“C-can you even speak? Can you hear me?” Flowey inquired. After a short pause, Flowey prompted, “What’s your name?”

The young human hesitated and choked, “F-Frisk.”

Flowey hesitated and then nodded. “Frisk? Oh. W-well good! You can understand me, then, Frisk. Now, you have to leave!”

Frisk shook her head. “I can’t! I fell and there is no way back up!”

Flowey grimaced and took a deep breath. “Oh no. This is not good. W-well, you’ll have to find some other way out, then! Can you climb?”

She shook her head. “No. I came here for a way out! Can you help me, Flowey?”

Flowey closed his eyes and nodded. “Yes. I-I think I can. You’re not the first human to fall down here. You probably won’t be the last. _Toriel_ has found every one of them. But maybe, maybe I can help you. Yes! Now, she should be here any moment. Okay, uh… behind the pillar! You know the entrance to the, uh, flower garden? Hide behind the pillar!”

Frisk nodded and carefully made her way back to the pillar.

Flowey vanished into the ground. He popped up beside her. “Down, down! Hush!”

Frisk flattened herself to the ground and pressed her back against the stone wall so that she was hidden completely behind the pillar.

Then, a rather large set of paws padded through the room. The giant white, fuzzy paws were connected to an even taller being. Although she was reminiscent of a human, her long, floppy ears and small, dark gray goat horns and thick muzzle were not human. As she walked. The light red robes she wore fluttered over her feet. A symbol of a white circle, a floating pair of wings, and three triangles beneath it imprinted on her chest.

Just as the monster, humming a soft tune under her breath, got to the broken entrance, she paused. Her tune stopped. Flowey’s eyes went wide and he made himself as small as possible. Frisk, on the verge of panicking, now, shut her eyes.

“Is this…” the monster murmured, her voice naturally soft but grated by ill-use, “…blood?” She knelt and looked over the ground. Small smears of blood trailed from the flowers out into the cavern and back to Frisk. “Oh dear… an injured animal… Hmm…” She looked over the trail and then to where it led. The monster narrowed her eyes and held up her paw, which burst into icy blue flames.

Frisk let out a tiny whimper.

The goat monster froze. A long, wheezy breath escaped her chest as she saw Frisk. “Chara? What are you doing down here? My child, you should be up at New Home!”

Frisk winced and turned her head up and opened one eye into a slit.

“Oh, dearest, you’re not looking too good,” the goat monster clicked her tongue and knelt. “Where on Earth did you scrape yourself up that badly?” She gasped. “Other monsters haven’t been attacking you, _have they?!”_ Her sharp teeth gleamed as she pulled her lips back.

Frisk shook her head. Although she attempted to speak, no words came to her. A small, quiet voice whispered, _“Don’t speak. Just do as she says.”_

The goat monster hummed, “Ah. You fell, then. You’re such a clumsy child! Come here. Let me heal you.”

_“Go to her.”_

Frisk nodded and shakily got to her feet. Immediately, the goat monster set her large paws on Frisk’s chest and arm. Green light glimmered around her fingers. Frisk’s pain was erased as was her fatigue. Her wounds closed themselves and blood stopped flowing. Frisk perked up and smiled.

Toriel chuckled and cooed, “There you go, my child!” She rubbed her head. “Now, we need to get you back! You’re hungry and tired and my goodness! Alone!” She stood up and started to lead Frisk away. As Frisk moved, Flowey was revealed from her shadow. Toriel’s eyes narrowed. “That… weed… you!” She snarled and bristled and let go of Frisk. Suddenly, her hands were alight in crystal blue fire and she glowered at Flowey. “You murderer! You can’t hide from me!”

Flowey squealed and vanished into the ground as Toriel sent a fireball at him.

Frisk stumbled back. “Wh-what–?”

“You killed my–what?” Toriel turned to Frisk. “Did… did you just talk?”

Frisk nodded and squeaked, “Y-yes.”

Toriel’s eyes bore into Frisk’s. “Brown eyes… you’re not my child. You’re not my Chara.” Quite suddenly, she snarled and glowered at Frisk with a wild glint in her eyes not unlike a rabid tiger’s. “YOU IMPOSTER! You’re trying to trick me! You’re going to kill my children!”

“N-no!” Frisk squeaked and backed up. “I-I-I–”

“FRISK!” Flowey yelled.

Toriel winced as a barbed vine cut across her face, just missing her eye. She grabbed the vine, causing it to burn and wither away. When she turned back to Frisk, the child was gone.

Frisk ran straight to the entrance Toriel had taken.

“This way!” Flowey squeaked from the left. “Hurry!”

Frisk stumbled and changed direction so that she ran deeper into the cavern. Blue fire flared behind her as the mother charged into the light, murdering the shadows with balls of fire. A horrible scream Frisk could’ve sworn contained words escaped the estranged mother’s throat as she searched for the imagined threat.

Frisk nearly barreled into a wall. She would have if Flowey hadn’t caught her in his vines. Frisk wisely stayed quiet as she stopped and crouched and backed away from the firestorm that had been created. After a few more minutes of the monster’s strangled screams and intense blazes of blue fire that burned away whatever greenery had been attempting to grow in the cavern, the energy ceased. The monster, breathing heavily, snorting flickers of blue flame, stalked wearily to the bed of golden flowers.

Frisk gulped. “Wh-who was that?”

“Toriel,” Flowey breathed. “Do _not_ get caught by her, okay?”

Frisk nodded. “O-okay. Wh-why did she call me Chara?”

Flowey sighed. “Toriel had children, once. Chara was one of them.”

“What happened?”

“They died. Horribly. Sh-she left her husband and sealed herself away. She’s slowly gone insane. This is the second time this week she caught someone trying to _‘steal her children.’_ The first monster was not as lucky as you. I think she really believes she’s just waiting on that bed of flowers. I’ve seen her talking to it as if she was right there… once left a slice of pie…” Flowey shook his head. “We need to get out of here before she comes back. If she finds you a second time, I don’t think you’ll be able to escape.”

Frisk took a deep, shaky breath. “I… doesn’t she… can’t I…?”

“No.” Flowey shook his head. “Seeing you will just make it worse, okay? Come on.”

Frisk shook her head. “Flowey, I can’t go. I-I’m blind. I won’t make it very far.”

“You’re blind? That would explain your eyes…” Flowey mumbled. “It’s okay, Frisk! Don’t worry! I, uh, don’t have arms or legs and I’m, uh, still alive. See? I bet if we work together, it won’t even matter.”

Frisk gulped and stood up. “O-okay. If you lead me… I guess I’ll follow.”

Flowey grinned. “Great! Come on!” Flowey dipped into the ground and appeared at the entrance of the Ruins. Frisk silently followed.

This room was made up of brilliant purple bricks. Brick walls with a stone floor and a stone ceiling made up the small room. Two pillars held stable the sides. At the very end, two staircases flowed from the floor up to a raised platform at the end of the room. Another empty doorway, this time flanked by vines, stood vigil over the room. Before that, though, was a bright pile of scarlet, crunchy leaves.

A sparkle, star-shaped and glowing in soft, golden light, hovered above the red-leafed ground. Strangely, she could _see_ this. She could see this golden sparkle in clarity. Upon approaching the yellow light, she stuck her hand out. Her fingers brushed the edges of the light. Although there was no matter there, which was surprising as it looked solid, heat flowed through her. A feeling that Frisk had never felt before coursed through her veins. It gave her confidence and happiness. The familiar, soft voice beside her piped up, _“The shadow of the ruins looms above, filling you with determination.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...kids like her should be playing a nice game of catch.
> 
> I had always imagined Frisk and Chara as girls, so...  
> "People were saying as well that the main character is, like, gender neutral... that it's not a 'he' or a 'she,' it's kind of left up to the player to do. So I-I keep sayin' it's a girl just because... I dunno. I-I wanted to-I wanted it to be a girl. I thought it was a girl as soon as I saw it, so I'm just gunna stick with that." ~Jacksepticeye, "DATE WITH A SKELETON | Undertale #3"
> 
> So, if you didn't know, I created a fan-epic named "Fallen Under". Now that I look back, it's a complete disgrace to all of Underfell. It was too soft and forgiving. Don't worry, I'll remedy that soon. Just stay tuned!


	2. New Face

Flowey stayed by Frisk’s side semi-constantly, his voice hushed. Frisk spoke only in reply to questions. The voice only Frisk could hear would murmur suggestions of conversation Frisk could start. But each time the voice urged her to speak, Frisk just got quieter. They passed up a dummy–which strangely gave off the feeling of being watched–as well as a few long, empty corridors. Eventually, they needed to stop as they came across another hallway… filled with spikes. A long walkway full of long, sharp, rust-tinted spikes was flanked on two sides by running water. Flowey huffed. “This is… not good. There’s not a switch I can pull for this one.”

“On what?” After Flowey described the scene before them, Frisk nodded. “That does sound bad. Um… are there instructions or something? Maybe if we go back–”

_Croak!_

Frisk jumped and stopped. The largest frog she’d ever encountered–this thing was as tall as her waist–stood before her. It’s slimy, light-gray skin glistened in the semi-light, as did his small, narrowed eyes. “O-oh!” Frisk squeaked. “I’m sorry!”

Then, she heard her heart patter and… phase out of her chest? No, this heart was too cartoonish to be a real heart. But there it was, glowing before her in perfect clarity.

A soft voice piped up, _“Froggit–Attack 4, Defense 5. HP 30. Life is difficult for this enemy.”_

“Wh-what–?”

“That’s your soul!” Flowey explained. “Monsters will focus on that. Anything that happens to your soul happens to you. Defend yourself! Don’t let it kill you!”

Frisk yelped and stumbled out of the way as the froggit launched itself at her with a furious hiss. She ducked and the froggit soared over her. Her soul stayed hovering just a foot or so before her. Finally, the froggit turned around and shook itself as it had landed on its belly rather hard. It growled at her in preparation for another attack.

Frisk remembered her sister’s words. _“Don’t back down! Never back off from a fight!”_

“H-how, Flowey?”

“Strike it! Hit it with your stick!” Flowey instructed. “I-if you’re strong, the monster won’t fight you!”

“I don’t want to kill it! Eep!” Frisk dodge the froggit as it attacked her again. When it turned to her, Frisk sucked in her breath and raised her stick. _“He hit you, Frisk! Destroy him! No holding back! Make him sorry he ever dared raised his hand against you.”_

The froggit flinched and flattened itself to the stone. She shifted her grip on the weapon. It let out a terrified croak. The human’s eyes went soft. Oh, the poor thing! She lowered her stick. “I-it’s okay, Froggit. I don’t want to hurt you. You can leave if you want.”

The froggit raised a webbed paw, fell back on its haunches, and sprung at her with a victorious croak. Frisk yelped as the monster rammed into her soul and threw her back. She shoved the very heavy creature. When it refused to move and instead opened its mouth to lash at her with a new attack, she whacked it with her stick.

It let out a confused croak as she struck it in the head with all her might. He hardly looked phased. She may as well as just tapped it! The froggit made a weird mewing noise as it looked over her.

Frisk got back to her feet. “Y-yeah! And if you try and attack me again, I’ll fight back!”

The froggit gave her another questioning look.

Frisk took a deep breath. “S-so… you won’t hurt me, right?” _Ribbit._ “Okay! I’m taking that as a yes!”

 _“Froggit doesn’t look like he wants to fight you anymore,”_ the voice informed her. _“You can either strike him while off guard–which will kill him instantly–or show him mercy.”_

“Sh-show mercy! I don’t want to hurt anyone. You can go, now, if you want, Froggit.”

The froggit threw one last glance at her before hopping onto the spikes. Rather than getting skewered, the spikes were pushed down. Without thinking, Frisk followed the froggit’s zig-zagging path until they hit smooth land on the other side.

“Frisk!” Flowey gasped as the froggit hopped into the stream and ducked under the water. “He could’ve killed you!”

“I spared him,” Frisk stated blankly. “He didn’t want to fight me any more than I wanted to fight him. Besides, he showed me the way, didn’t he?”

“Well… yes… still. At least wait for me. Please.” Flowey took a deep breath. “Okay. But we _did_ get to the other side. Now! There shouldn’t be anything too eventful for a while.”

“Are there more traps?” Frisk inquired as she walked.

“Yeah,” Flowey answered. “But since it’s been so long, no one really takes care of them. Most of them have just never been reactivated and kinda rusted away. The spike traps are one of the only exceptions. Otherwise, it’s mainly this place being old and broken and having to watch your step, you know? Just be careful. I’ll tell you if anything bad pops up, okay?”

“Thanks, Flowey! You’ve been really nice to me.”

Flowey smiled a little. “Well, I couldn’t let you get hurt, you know? Come on. If we hurry, we can slip outside before Toriel ever sees us.”

“If we get out,” the human inquired, “–where will we be?”

“We’ll be in the forest near Snowdin–outside of The Ruins. She won’t follow us there,” Flowey answered immediately.

“Snowdin?” Frisk echoed. “Is it cold there?”

Flowey nodded. “Yes, very cold. It’s snowy. But it’s better than here. _Trust me._ ”

The next room was relatively small with a few patches of red leaves on the purple ground. A door was to the north and, on the wall opposite of her own and in the southern corner, there was another door.

Frisk walked to the closest door–the one on the north wall. A bowl of candy stood atop a pedestal. Only two were left.

The voice piped up, _“It’s a bowl of candy. It says ‘Take one.’”_ Immediately, Frisk took both candies. She put one in her pocket and presented the other to Flowey. “I found some candy! Want it?”

Flowey shook his head. “You don’t either. What if it’s poisonous?”

“This is a very big bowl. Lots of people must have eaten out of it,” Frisk pointed out. “But… I guess we can save it for later.”

“I still wouldn’t eat it,” Flowey denied. “I’m sure that many other monsters fell for it, too. After all, it’s much easier poisoning someone than fighting them.”

“What do you mean?” Frisk prompted. “Not all monsters fight each other, do they?”

Flowey looked up at her with round eyes. “I’m sorry, Frisk. But this place isn’t like the surface. Here, it’s kill or _be_ killed.”

Frisk gasped. “Wh-what? Really?”

Flowey sighed. “Yeah. Let’s keep going.” Flowey vanished into the ground and reappeared near the second door.

Frisk nodded and walked down the room. She hesitated beside a bright yellow sparkle. She touched the glimmering yellow thing. Her fingers passed right through it, just like the first. A warmth seeped through her. Quite suddenly, she didn’t feel so scared. She felt courageous, optimistic, determined.

 _“Playfully crinkling through the leaves fills you with determination.”_ The soft voice spoke to her again. Frisk chuckled and played with the leaves at her feet for a few moments before walking to the door. The small room was split by a dark stripe. A door flanked either end of the stripe. Frisk continued to walk forward. The darker part of the floor gave in under her weight. Frisk gasped and collapsed through the ground.

“Frisk! Oh no. Frisk! Can you hear me?” Flowey called.

“Yeah,” Frisk replied tightly. She stood up and shook her hair of leaves. The small room she was in now was split by red leaves. They were crunchy but not hard like stone. So, although falling such a distance hurt, it wasn’t as bad as it could’ve been. Two doors flanked the strip of red leaves. Frisk walked up to the door on the right and crawled through the small space provided.

When Flowey spotted her landing with a huff on the other side of the frail floor, he sighed in relief and popped up beside her. “You scared me! Okay, no more of that. Let’s get going.”

Frisk nodded and walked into the next room. It was occupied by a single rock on a light strip of purple floor. A button was on the end. Just past it was a line of spikes separating them from the door on the other side. It was easy pushing the rock.

Flowey lifted up a vine to stop her before they could continue on. “Alright. This is not good. Most of this room is unstable… I don’t want you falling again. Okay, let me scout ahead. Stay here.” The flower vanished into the ground. A few moments later, Flowey came back. “Okay! I think I have an idea. Go step over to that piece of floor.” He waved a leaf to the cracked floor by the wall.

Frisk nodded, “A-alright.”

Most of the floor was unstable. However, as Frisk crossed in a zig-zag pattern, encouraged and guided by Flowey’s instruction, she didn’t fall in. Some of the floor was cracked but stable. When she got to the other side, she sighed happily and continued into the next room.

The newest room that Flowey and Frisk entered had three rocks on three light purple lines that ended in three buttons. A stream broke the room in two. A bridge bristling with spikes was their only way across. Frisk pushed the first two rocks onto their buttons with ease. However, when she attempted to push the third rock, it growled at her. “Hey! What do ya think yer doin’?”

Frisk jumped back with a gasp, gripping her stick at her side. Upon seeing it not move–or do really anything at all–she relaxed her grip. “I-I, um, was trying to push you onto the button. I didn’t mean to disturb you. We need to get across, sir. Could you please help us?”

The rock scoffed, “Yeah, right. I ain’t movin’. Find yer own way across. You can swim, can’t ya?”

Frisk shook her head. “I can’t. Please help us, sir. We really need your help.”

“This ain’t my problem, kid, so I ain’t movin’.” The rock fell silent.

Flowey groaned and glowered at the rock. “Move over before I push you!”

The rock snorted, “Oh what are ya goin’ ta do, little plant? Tap me?”

Half a dozen little white pellets popped into existence behind Flowey. All six rammed into the rock. All six shattered and dissipated. The rock laughed. Flowey grumbled and sighed. “Fine. I’ll do it.” Flowey vanished and popped up beside the button. A few vines compressed the button. The spikes vanished. Flowey dipped down and appeared on the other side of the bridge. Frisk happily followed. The next room, which was merely a hallway, held a small table and a piece of cheese. A little glittering yellow light floated beside the table.

Frisk walked over to the yellow thing on the table and poked it. _“This cheese has been here quite a long time. It’s stuck to the table…”_

“Oh, right.” Flowey looked back at the cheese on the table. “There’s a mouse that lives here. It’s too scared to attempt to get the cheese.”

“Oh. Poor thing,” Frisk sighed. “Well, maybe one day it will summon the courage to get the cheese!”

Frisk tapped the yellow light. _“Knowing that one day the mouse might get the cheese, it fills you with determination.”_ The same warmth and strong feeling of courage and determination flowed through her.

Flowey tipped his head. “What are you looking at?”

Frisk turned to him. “This light.”

“What light?”

“Um… nothing. What’s up ahead?” Frisk followed Flowey into the next room.

Flowey took a deep breath. “Oh no. It’s a problem, that’s what it is.”

Frisk tipped her head. The room was small but made smaller as it was split in half by a wall. The only way through was a small section of wall that had been cut off. A pile of scarlet leaves blanketed the ground. On top of the leaves was a black blur just about Frisk’s size.

“Zzzzz…” the ghost mumbled. “Zzzz…”

“The ghost’s just pretending to sleep,” Flowey encouraged her.

“So, we shouldn’t disturb him,” Frisk agreed.

“Ah, well, we need to get through here,” Flowey pointed out. “I think force is the only option.”

“What about if we move around him?” Frisk prompted.

“That won’t work. Napstablook’s blocking the whole doorway,” Flowey informed her and popped up beside the ghost. Vines crept out of the ground and touched the ghost. Immediately, Napstablook jumped up to face the two of them. Frisk’s soul appeared before her. She sucked in her breath and raised her stick.

_“Napstablook–Attack 10, Defense 10. HP ???. This ghost doesn’t seem to have a sense of humor…”_

The ghost growled, “What do you think you’re doing here? …is that a _stick?_ Seriously?”

“We’re just trying to pass through!” Frisk answered before Flowey could open his mouth. “We didn’t want to disturb you.” She lowered her stick.

“Yeah, well, too late. Piss off before I make you!” the ghost retaliated. Tears ringed the ghost’s eyes and shimmered on his cheeks. The tears turned and shot at Frisk like bullets. She cried out in surprise and flattened herself to the ground. The bullet-tears missed her–barely.

“A-are you crying?” Frisk breathed and stood up.

“Wh-what? No!” the ghost snapped. “Do I have to tell you again?!”

“Well, no, but I–?” Frisk persisted and then yelped as yet another barrage was shot at her.

“Leave me alone!” Napstablook snarled.

Flowey looked between them. “Yes! We should! Just let us run past you.”

Napstablook hissed at him. Frisk piped up, “We won’t hurt you. Is something wrong?”

“Humph. No,” the ghost growled. “I just want to be left alone. Why do you even care?”

“I don’t like it when people are alone,” Frisk informed him. “I know how it feels. It feels horrible, doesn’t it?”

Napstablook’s snarl wavered and started to fade. “Y-yeah. So? I _want_ to be left alone.”

“Are you sure?” the young human prompted. “You don’t have to be alone, you know. Why do you choose to be? Don’t you have someone you like to be with?”

“Pfft. I thought I did,” the ghost growled. “But apparently not. I have a few ‘cousins’ but I guess family only goes so far. Apparently, having talent means you can leave everyone else behind.” His tear-shining eyes narrowed. “But what do you care?”

“I care because I don’t like people being hurt,” Frisk replied. “You really shouldn’t leave others behind just because you have talent–especially family.”

“I know!” Napstablook huffed. “But my stupid cousins disagreed. Two of them went off to become training dummies and the other one a ‘star.’ Humph. Star. Most he’ll do is humiliate himself on TV–if he makes it that far.”

“Your cousin is a celebrity?”

“Yeah. I guess,” Napstablook grumbled and then narrowed his eyes at her. “Why do you want to know?”

“Oh. I was curious is all. I’ve never known someone whose cousin was a celebrity. You know, maybe he’s super busy and can’t come over. Why don’t you go and try to visit him?”

“Go to him?” Napstablook echoed and then rolled his eyes. “Yeah, right! He wronged me, not the other way around. That stupid robot is too narcissistic and blind to see anything but himself. Besides, he wouldn’t want some cousin who can’t do party tricks anywhere near him.”

“I’m sure you have talent, too, Napstablook! I’m sure that you’re good at something.”

Napstablook hesitated, glowered at her, and then mumbled something. Tears dripped from his eyes again. However, instead of falling down or attacking her, they flowed up and collected above his head. A cute top hat appeared on his head. “I call it ‘dapper blook.’”

“Oh! That’s so cool!” Frisk gasped.

“Oh…” Napstablook hesitated and shook his head, causing the hat to dissipate. Frisk’s soul returned to her body. “Well… yeah, it is. I see that you’re not going to leave so… bye.” The ghost turned and phased through the wall.

Flowey watched him go with wide eyes and an open mouth. “I… didn’t expect that!”

Frisk watched him go. “I didn’t, either. Poor guy. I hope he makes it up to his cousins.”

Flowey nodded. “Yeah well… let’s keep going.”

Frisk nodded and walked straight through that room into the next. This one was smaller with two spider webs on the wall. A sign was posted before them. Flowey looked up at her. “Spider bake sale. All proceeds go to real spiders,” Flowey read aloud. “7g for a donut and 18g for some cider.”

“Oh.” Frisk checked her pockets. “I don’t have any money–or g.”

“Then we should go, right?” Flowey vanished and appeared back in the room where they had found Napstablook. Another door led up. Frisk followed without another word.

The flower vanished and reappeared farther down the hall.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You want some LOVE, don't you?"
> 
> So, if you're curious, Froggit lost 1 HP. As stated in the game, a monster's ATK and DEF come from the will to inflict harm on others. You'll see a lot of the concept of "intent" and "will to FIGHT/MERCY" concerning battles and magic. Since you see it over and over in the game, you'll be seeing it here. Even in the Underground, a non-native's ATK and DEF are judged by their intent. Although this normally applies to monsters, it also applies to humans (really anyone Underground). You see in "Hang Out with Undyne" when you hit her (even through the FIGHT option), you can only do 1 HP of damage.


	3. Encounter

By the time Frisk and Flowey got to the next room, which held six patches of crumbling floor, Flowey held up a vine to stop her. “There’s a lot of unstable ground here. Wait here.” The flower vanished. Flowey appeared before a sign beside the door at the end of the room lined with spikes. “Okay, so there’s a switch in one of the rooms under here,” Flowey informed her. “But since it’s dangerous to let you do this… I’ll see if I can find the switch.”

“Okay. Be careful!” Frisk called.

“I’ll be right back!” Flowey vanished again.

A hissing, clicking sound behind her made Frisk jump and spin around, stick in her hands. A large beetle on two legs flanked by a large gelatin stood before her. They were just about Frisk’s height, too. The bug glared at her and twitched its fingers. The gelatin creature jiggled absentmindedly.

_“Moldsmal–Attack 6, Defense 0. Stereotypical: Curvaceously attractive but no brains…”_

Frisk shifted in her place. “U-Um…”

_“Migosp–Attack 7, Defense 5. Gains confidence from allies.”_

The large beetle clicked its mandibles. “Filthy single-minder!” The gelatin creature wiggle as if shocked. Two swarms of tiny insects flanked Frisk. The gelatin gurgled, throwing small pods of… mold into the air that would burst.

Frisk attempted to duck out of the way, only to get bitten by the swarming insects. She yelped and waved them off with her stick. A few gnawed on the wooden piece before the swarm was called back, vanishing into smoke as soon as it got near the bug. Frisk gulped. “O-okay. Well…”

The voice whispered, _“I don’t think Moldsmal is aware of what it’s doing. Why don’t you try seeing through its perspective?”_

Frisk perked up and then lay down beside the creature. She made a low, quiet gurgle noise. Strangely, it didn’t attack. Instead, it mimicked her. After a few moments of laying still, Frisk got up. Moldsmal rolled away.

Migosp watched him go and clicked his pinchers. It shuffled is feet, gave one last look at Frisk, and then buzzed away.

_“Are they all like this?”_

_“No,”_ the voice responded. _“Monsters here are pretty hurt and aggressive. But showing some kindness can really help. Some monsters, like migosps, are cowards; they only fight in a crowd. Very few monsters are as naturally clueless as moldsmals.”_

Frisk took a few steps forward. Unfortunately, she forgot to heed Flowey’s warning of the unstable ground. She fell through the floor with a yelp. Another pile of red leaves caught her to prevent any damage. Frisk shook her head. A cute little ribbon was on the ground nearby. Frisk took it and crawled back out. Flowey still wasn’t there. So, Frisk sat down and fiddled with the faded ribbon. Since she couldn’t see what she was doing, she eventually decided to tie it around her head.

 _“That looks really pretty on you,”_ the voice complimented.

Frisk chuckled and played with a lock of frazzled hair. _“Thanks.”_

Eventually, the spikes in front of the door sank into the ground. Flowey came back. His breath was a bit heavy, but he was standing straight and didn’t look any more tattered than before. “I found the switch! Let’s go. Oh. Did you find a ribbon?”

Frisk nodded. “It’s cute!”

“Ohh! That’s armor! You’ll need it.” Flowey nodded and appeared beside the door. Frisk, eyebrows contracted in slight confusion, followed him.

 _“Faded Ribbon. DEF +5, ‘If you're cuter, monsters won’t hit you as hard,’”_ the voice stated. _“Armor doesn’t necessarily need to be a shield or chest plate. Remember: most monsters strictly use magic.”_

The next puzzle wasn’t too bad. She had to press mushroom shaped, colored buttons in the right order before proceeding. The room in which they visited next was just a hallway with branching hallway. Frisk skipped over the vines that covered strips of the ground. The far end of the hallway held a small room, which led to a small balcony. “A knife!” Flowey exclaimed. “You’ll need this.”

_“Toy knife. ATK +3, ‘Made of plastic. A rarity nowadays.’”_

“A knife?” Frisk echoed and shook her head. “I don’t need it. I’m not going to hurt anyone. Besides, it’s not like I know how to use it.”

Flowey prompted, “Well, what if you get in a trap? You can use it to cut yourself free!”

_Knife… cuts. Wounds… pain… blood. So much blood. Anger… fear… curiosity…_

Frisk shook her head. “No! No, no. The stick is better. I like my stick better.”

Flowey let out an exasperated sigh. “You can keep your stick, you know. You don’t need to throw it away to pick up a knife. Plus, it isn’t even sharp. It’s a toy.”

“It’s… not sharp?”

“Nah. Well, kind of. But only if you _try_ to cut yourself with it.”

Frisk nodded. “…okay. But I’m not using it on anyone.” She picked up the toy knife ground and put it in one of her pockets.

Flowey vanished and then reappeared in the hallway. Frisk followed the flower very closely. The branching hallway had a large cluster of red leaves in the middle. It opened into a large room with a thick, dead tree in the middle. Red leaves covered the ground around it. Behind the tree was a large brick wall. A large door cut through the middle of the wall as well as a few windows. Red leaves scattered around the front of the house, though a trail without leaves was left exposed. A little glimmering yellow light shimmered beside the door.

“Good,” Flowey sighed. “We’re here before her. Let’s see if we can sneak through her house.” When Frisk opened the door, Flowey sighed, “Great. Wood floor. She’ll know if I’ve gone through there!”

“What if I get something to hold you in?” Frisk prompted. “Then I could carry you through the house!”

Flowey looked around. “Well… okay. But hurry. I’ll keep a lookout. If she comes back, _hide._ Okay?”

“Okay.” Frisk gently shut the door behind herself and wandered into the house. To the left was a dining room-living room hybrid. But to the right was a hallway… with a bedroom. Frisk didn’t pay much attention to anything around her as she walked into the small, pink bedroom and ruffled through the place. Finally, she found an old, worn boot.

 _“Better than pottery,”_ the voice commented. _“You might break that.”_

_“Yeah. The boot’s easier to hold, anyway. Okay, we better get back to Flowey.”_

With that, Frisk walked outside and started gathering dirt in the boot. Flowey popped up beside her. “What are you doing? …that’s a boot. That old thing has probably been worn a lot. But… ugh, fine. We don’t have time to argue. Just… just be careful, Frisk.”

Frisk smiled and held out her hands. Flowey’s roots slowly came out of the ground and into her hands. She set him on the boot, where he sank into the dirt within. “Thank you!” Frisk purred and hugged him.

Flowey hesitated. “Um… yeah… you’re welcome. Let’s, um, go–”

“Who’s this?”

Frisk jumped and spun around, holding Flowey close to her chest. Toriel had emerged, walking around the tree and watching them with round eyes. She let out a soft coo. “A human! You’re so young, too. Oh no! Look at how messy you are! And you’re hurt! Come here. I’ll make it better.” Without giving Frisk a choice in the matter, she healed the girl’s wounds and brushed the stray dirt and leaves in her hair. They could see the long score mark across her muzzle and face where Flowey’s vine had torn her fur and skin. “Oh, what a nice ribbon.” She fixed it up in Frisk’s hair and grinned. “There we go! You’re such a cute young child.”

“Th-thanks,” Frisk squeaked, trying with all her might not to break down into tears.

“Oh, dear. I scared you. I’m so sorry. But you’re not hurt now. But you’re tired. Look at you! You’ve been roaming around a lot, haven’t you? Come on! I’ve got just the place you can stay!” With that, Toriel took Frisk’s hand and led her into the house. They walked back to the bedroom Frisk had found the boot within. “Here you go! A nice room all to yourself. Why don’t you take a nap?”

“N-nap?” Frisk managed to choke out.

“Yes! You look absolutely exhausted, my child. Go on; I’ll make sure no bad monsters get you, okay?” She shooed her into the room. Frisk reluctantly obeyed. The door slowly shut behind her.

Once they heard her footsteps retreat, Flowey stated, “Run.”

“I can’t run,” Frisk pointed out. “She’ll find me a-and then she’ll just try to kill me or something!”

“Well we can’t wait here,” Flowey pointed out. “She’ll definitely kill us. …hmm… ah! Okay, we’ll wait until she falls asleep. Until then, you can sleep because you look really tired. I’ll keep on watch. Once she leaves or goes to bed, I’ll wake you up, alright?”

“Are you sure?” Frisk prompted. “I-I mean… she was really scary… what if she suddenly thinks I’m evil or something?”

“Then I’ll tell you. I’ve distracted her before; I can do it again.”

“Do you know how to leave?” Frisk prompted. “Because I don’t.”

Flowey shook his head. “No… I don’t… well, the basement but… okay. Let’s check out her room. Carefully. If there’s nothing there, then, we’ll just have to wait until she leaves and try the basement. Sound like a plan?”

Frisk nodded. “I trust you.”

Flowey smiled. “Thanks, Frisk. Now, there’s a door next to this big flower… the one beside this bedroom’s door. I think it might be hers.”

Frisk nodded and quietly slipped out of the small bedroom and walked into the next one. The color scheme here was a variety of light blues rather than the tans of the house and pinks of the kid room. A desk was immediately in front of the door with a diary and lamp on top of it. A small bucket of snails hid between it and the wall. A large bed dominated the top-left part of the room with a squat dresser and bookcase beside it. A tall cactus stood on the other side of the door.

Flowey looked to the diary. “Come on. Let’s see if she’s written anything good here…”

“What does it say?” Frisk prompted. “One of them is circled.”

“Um… ‘How do you make a one-armed man fall out of a tree? You cut his arm… off…’” Flowey stared at the page for a few moments.

“That’s not how the joke goes,” Frisk muttered. “I thought it was ‘You wave.’ What else is there?”

“Um… just jokes of a similar caliber,” Flowey stated and looked at the bookshelf. “What type of books are there?” Frisk approached the bookcase. Flowey sighed. “Nothing useful. Just plants and snails. Well… try that drawer.”

The voice gasped, _“Scandalous! …it’s Toriel’s sock drawer.”_

Flowey’s small voice brought her back. “Um… nothing here. Let’s go.” Frisk shut the drawer, nodded, and strode out of the bedroom. Unfortunately, the door at the end was locked. “‘Room under Renovations?’” Flowey read aloud. “Okay, well, that was fruitless. We’ll just have to wait, then. Set me on the dresser and you can take a nap.”

Frisk nodded. “Thank you, Flowey!” She turned and carefully walked into her bedroom. Flowey was set on the dresser and the lights were turned off. Despite the feeling of danger from the adult in the house, the familiarity of the danger let Frisk sleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Toriel's mood swings faster than a kid being egged on by their peers.
> 
> Toriel's very close to insanity by this point, as you might have guessed. But she's got some sanity left in that head of hers. It just needs to be coaxed back to the surface. She'll heal, she just needs time, patience, and something to prevent her from going into one of her "moods" again.
> 
> Also: don't worry, the jokes will get better. Haha


	4. Naptime

Frisk opened her eyes. “Flowey…?” Beside her, on the bedside table, Flowey peacefully slept. Frisk jolted and sat up straight. She… she could… see him…?

…Toriel had killed her in her sleep.

_“It’s okay. I put him to sleep. Trust me, you’d know if you were dead. This… is not what it feels like.”_

Frisk jumped and sat up. “Wh-who?”

 _“It’s me, Chara. The one whose voice you’ve been hearing,”_ the voice stated. Right beside Frisk was a young girl quite like her. In fact, were it not for the specter’s scarlet eyes… or the fact that she was dead… they could have been twins. Strangely, Chara’s hair was messy and thrown back behind her ears to allow her to see. A few stray strands fell over her rosy cheeks. Could hair get messy in the afterlife? _“I’ve been giving you advice and those yellow sparkles? That’s some of my power being shared between us.”_

“…why haven’t we met before?”

 _“Because… Flowey,”_ Chara admitted. _“He can’t see me. No one but you can see me. That’s because I’m dead and you woke me from death. So now we’re… attached, you could say. Just… don’t mention me to Flowey. He’ll start acting funny and you can’t afford that right now. Not while you’re in danger. You need to focus.”_

“Danger? She’s coming back to kill me, isn’t she?” Frisk sucked in her breath and melted into her shirt. “O-oh no! What do I do?”

 _“Hush!”_ Chara set her hand on Frisk’s shoulder. Although Frisk couldn’t feel her hand, she could feel the warmth and energy in it. Just like those times she interacted with the sparkles, she could feel her fear slacken. _“Calm down. Toriel was a great person. But she’s… she’s not herself. She could seriously hurt you and she wouldn’t even mean it. She’s unpredictable, now. It’s best if you two left. But! She wouldn’t kill a person in their sleep.”_

“What will happen to her?”

 _“…nothing,”_ Chara admitted. _“She’ll lose you. But it’s best if she does. What is worse, Frisk? For her to lose you or for you to stay, only to be killed? Not only would you die by her magic, but she would have the death of another child on her soul.”_

Frisk sighed and clenched her hands together. “…I guess. But where are we supposed to go?”

 _“Like Flowey said: out,”_ Chara stated simply. _“You two should talk about it, once you get a moment.”_

“So, you like Flowey?”

_“Do you trust him?”_

“Yeah,” Frisk answered without hesitation. “He’s been really nice to me!”

_“Good. I believe you could be good friends. I’m with you, Frisk. Now, it’s almost time to wake up. I’ll be with you. If you ever need my help, just ask. As an incorporeal spirit, I can’t do much physically. But… I think… I think I might be able to take over for short periods of time if you need me.”_

“Like… possession?”

_“In a way. Good morning.”_

 

Frisk yawned and shook her head. Flowey looked up at her. “Awake? Good.”

“Did she come in here?” Frisk inquired.

The flower gave her a short shake of his head. “No. But I did hear her passing a few times. The last time she walked past was a while ago. This should be our chance! Now, I think there are some coats in there,” Flowey tipped his head to the dresser. “You’ll need it. Snowdin is really cold.”

“Hmm… That’s a good idea.” Frisk opened the wardrobe and pawed through its contents. There were plenty of cozy clothes. However, there were only a few coats. “Um… which one should I take?”

“The one at the end,” Flowey advised. “It has a hood.”

_“There’s a shirt on the opposite end. Your shirt’s pretty ragged.”_

“Okay.” Frisk gently pulled out the coat and the shirt. Flowey looked over the red shirt with two maroon bands and turned away so that Frisk could change into that and put the coat on. It was fuzzy on the inside and warm. No fur popped out of the top, bottom, or sleeves. The red coat with a maroon band around the middle looked almost exactly like a sweater–save for the zipper in the front. Frisk nearly closed the doors to the wardrobe when something swung and hit the recently disturbed clothes. A small bag with a long strap was inside it. With a brilliant smile, Frisk unzipped the coat and put on the bag so that it was hidden under her new coat. Her chocolate went into the bag as well as some candy. An old pen was the only object that had been there previously. The coat was zipped up, the doors closed, and Flowey plucked from the dresser.

Frisk happily walked out of the room and into the entranceway. No noise came from either section of the house. So, she took a deep breath and walked through the zig-zagging staircase opposite the door. Immediately, a sense of dread fell over them as she walked through the smooth, plain hallway. Frisk’s grip on Flowey’s boot got tighter and tighter as they went until finally–

“Eep!” Frisk and Flowey yelped as she stumbled back.

Toriel stopped. “Oh, dear! What are you doing down here, my child? Oh! You were looking for me, weren’t you? Silly girl, you could’ve just waited!” She chuckled, baring her teeth. She seemed less… edgy, now. She was brighter, softer, much more approachable. “Come on. Let’s get some food inside of you and give that hair a nice brush.”

Frisk reluctantly followed. Though, holding Toriel’s fuzzy paw was no downside. When they got back up, Toriel shooed her into the dining room–where she was given a plate of fruit salad–and gently brushed out the tangles from her hair. “I really shouldn’t have been gone for so long. But it won’t happen again. Since you’re here, I’ve been working on a curriculum for your education…”

Eventually, Toriel had brushed out Frisk’s hair, tying it back with a bow, and–when Frisk had finished eating–led her to the sink to wash her hands and face while Toriel washed off her plate. Flowey’s boot had been set on a towel on the counter. “Are you feeling better, my child?”

Frisk nodded. “Thanks, Ms. Toriel!”

“You’re welcome, sweetheart,” Toriel purred. “Now, why don’t you go out and play? Don’t stray too far. But, this place can be a bit confusing. Oh! I have an idea. Take this cell phone and call me whenever you like.” She pulled out an ancient phone from her pocket and presented it to Frisk, who reluctantly took it. “Oh! And remember: don’t go in the basement. It’s dangerous for a little one like you.”

Frisk took Flowey and walked out of the kitchen, then. “Why is she being nice to me?”

“She’s in a good mood,” Flowey stated. “It won’t last. Trust me. She’ll go into one of her moods again, soon, and try to kill you. That’s… what happened to one of the earlier children that fell down. She tried staying with Toriel, but Toriel got into one of her moods and… well… she was able to escape, but she didn’t get too far. Now come on.” He tipped his head to the staircase. “While she’s distracted.”

Frisk gulped and made her way down the stairs. A chilled draft wafted through the corridor that she landed in. Frisk continued forward without another word.

Frisk and Flowey turned a corner in the small corridor leading out of the Ruins to see a door. A large, furry hand was set on her shoulder. Frisk jumped and spun around. Toriel, features grim and eyes narrowed, stood before her. “You wish to return ‘home,’ do you not? Ahead of us, right there, lies the end of the Ruins. A one-way exit to the rest of the underground. I am going to destroy it.” Toriel walked past her to stand between her and the door. Toriel turned so that she faced her. “No one will ever be able to leave again.” Her maroon eyes grew wet. Toriel growled and hid her pain under a snarl. “Do _not_ try and stop me. This is your only warning. Go to your room!”

Frisk stood up straight. “No. I-I won’t. I–”

“Humph,” Toriel interrupted her with a huff. “You want to leave so badly? You are just like all the others. No. No, I won’t let you leave. The others out there, they’re going to kill you. If they ever catch sight of you, they will _murder_ you! Don’t you understand?!”

“B-but–”

“No! I’m not letting you leave!” Every one of Toriel’s teeth were bared now. “All I want is for you to be happy, young one. All I want is to never see you suffer. If you leave, they will make you suffer! I just want to give you a painless end!”

Frisk’s soul appeared before her chest.

 _“Toriel–Attack 80, Defense 80. HP 1600. Gatekeeper of the Ruins. She just wants what’s best for you.”_ Chara’s words made Frisk feel sick. All Toriel wanted was to make her happy.

Frisk shut her eyes and set Flowey down in the corner. “Toriel, I am not going to fight.”

“Just as I expected,” Toriel growled. “You would never make it out there with that attitude.” Fire blazed a brilliant blue-white within her hands. Quite suddenly, the room was warm, and it was light. Frisk yelped in fright as she barely dodged each attack. The fire was _everywhere._ How was she going to dodge all of this?

“I’m not fighting you!” Frisk repeated. “Please!”

“No! You will!” Toriel hissed. “Prove to me that you won’t die!”

Frisk attempted to dodge again and again. However, the fire got too close. Her soul, her chest, began to hurt. Burns caused fissures and cracks to appear on her soul. “Please! Stop!”

“I won’t let another be murdered!”

“You don’t have to, Toriel! Please!”

“If I let you out you will!” Toriel snarled. Frisk dodged the next barrage of fire, but just barely.

Shaky on her feet, the blind child stared into Toriel’s molten gaze. Tears glimmered on the young human’s cheeks. “Please.”

Toriel whined and barked, “You will die if you leave!”

Frisk tensed and threw her arms in front of herself. However, the fire brushed harmlessly past. Frisk looked up. Toriel’s fire avoided her. The ground and walls were singed and charred. Yet Frisk was still alive. “I… I don’t want to leave.”

Toriel’s voice was choked. “How can you say that when you tried to sneak out? You–you liar! You’re trying to slip your way out, aren’t you?” Toriel snarled and threw another fireball at Frisk. Although her muscles tensed under the force she put behind her spell, the fire did not feel hot. The fire rushed past Frisk and hit the wall opposite.

Frisk took a few tentative steps forward. “You don’t have to let another one die.”

Toriel slumped to her knees. Tears dripped down her snout and onto the floor as she bowed her head. Her face was buried in her hands, now. “I want you to be happy… I want my children…” she whimpered. “I want my husband… I just want my family again…”

Frisk bit her tongue and looked at Flowey. The flower was slumped forward as if wilted. The young human turned back to Toriel. She put her hand on Toriel’s shoulder. The old mother raised her great head to look Frisk in the eyes. “You don’t have to fight.”

Toriel gasped and bared her teeth in a grimace. “Then why are you trying so hard to leave?”

“I don’t want to,” Frisk stated and shook her head. “You are so sad and alone. I just… I want you to be happy. But, I…”

For a few long moments, Toriel didn’t move. Eventually, the old mother shut her eyes. “I… I…” Then, her snarl came back, and her eyes flashed open. Frisk took a few steps back. “You dirty cheater!”

“Wh-what?”

“You’re trying to trick me!” Toriel hissed and stood up. “You think you can–no! You’re wrong!” Toriel stepped aside and shoved the doors open. “Go die, then. Just get out of my sight before you do.”

Frisk gasped, “Wh-what? No! No, you–”

“LEAVE!” Toriel snarled, small flickers of crystal blue fire puffing from her flared nostrils and burning in her clenched fists.

Frisk yelped, picked up Flowey, and raced out of the room. The door slammed shut behind her. There was a _thunk_ and eventually, muffled sobs could be heard clearly through the door. Frisk, holding Flowey close to her chest, raced through the small space of a tunnel. It eventually gave way to a cavern of natural rock instead of brick. Sunlight filtered through the ceiling and into a circle of grass. A stone doorway was at the end.

Frisk staggered to a stop and sat down on top of the little circle of grass. A little golden sparkle danced before her. Frisk’s fingers brushed the little light. Although her wounds vanished, and heat flowed through her, no emotion was stirred from the action. Chara raised her hand to touch Frisk’s. She could nearly feel the spirit’s touch as if she was a physical human. Frisk set her hand back on her lap.

Flowey sighed. “I… know this is tough. But we have to keep going.”

Frisk sniffled and nodded. “I know. I know. Just… give me a second.”

“I’m sorry,” Flowey mumbled and bowed his head.

Frisk sat down in a more comfortable position and crossed her legs. “Flowey? Do you know anything about Chara? Or Toriel?”

The tattered golden flower looked up at her. “Yes. Toriel had two children. One of them was a human child named Chara. You… you look a lot like her.”

“Then why did she try to kill me?”

“Because she’s scared of the other monsters, Frisk. Chara died a painful death of sickness. I guess she thought that if she killed you now, you wouldn’t face the suffering that the monsters outside would give you. Just like they gave to the others.” Flowey sighed and shook his head. “Truthfully, she’s a very kind woman. But you needed to get out of there for that reason. She’s kind, but pain has twisted her morals and loneliness drove her insane.”

“What if I give them hope?” Frisk inquired.

“Give them hope?” Flowey echoed.

“Yeah. Why is everyone in despair?”

“We’re trapped down here,” Flowey informed them. “The barrier keeps all monsters trapped underground. Anything can come in, but nothing can come out. We’ve been here for so long that most of the people here don’t know what sunlight feels like. Those that have felt it have long since forgotten it. So, most people just think that this is what life is. It’s kill or be killed.”

“I’ll have to prove them wrong.” Frisk got up, Flowey in her arms. “I’m going to show everyone what kindness can do. I don’t care how long it takes, I will make sure that no one else has to die.” The feeling that the light gave her coursed through her veins. This time, though, the light didn’t cause it. It was her own thoughts, her own desires, that caused it. It was her own determination.

“Come on. It’s pretty chilly outside.” Frisk zipped down her hoodie, held Flowey’s boot close to her chest on top of her shoulder bag, and zipped it up again. Flowey’s head popped up next to their head. Frisk opened the door. A chilly blast of snow-flecked air crashed into them as she walked outside.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's me, Chara.
> 
> So, the trio has been fully introduced! ...and subsequently kicked out of the Ruins. Although many people depict Toriel as killing the child at least once or twice, I don't believe that would happen. Toriel doesn't have the _will_ to kill Frisk, so the ability to kill her (though she definitely has it) is not there. She has nearly killed at least one kid, maimed another, caused another to die via fleeing from one of her moods, and was nearly killed by roughly two others.
> 
> Anyway, that's the end of "The Ruins" arc! See you in Snowdin!


	5. When Hell Freezes Over...

Frisk pulled up her hood. She left the shadow of the Ruins and walked down the trail. Behind her, the door slammed, causing both her and Flowey to wince. The boot that Flowey was in came to rest on Frisk’s shoulder bag so now Frisk had the use of two hands.

Frisk’s foot hit a sturdy looking branch. She gasped and stumbled as she nearly tripped over the thing. “Leave it,” Flowey ordered. “It’s too big to move. Maybe it’ll trip someone taking after us or something.”

“Maybe,” Frisk mumbled without putting real thought into her words and kept moving through the snowy trail that seemed to expand forever.

_CCCRRRRAAACCCKKKK!_

Frisk jumped as, behind her, the branch shattered as if it was nothing. Frisk spun around, bristling. Chara stated, _“It’s been smashed as if it was nothing.”_

“Hurry!” Flowey hissed. “Come on!” Frisk immediately picked up the pace. She only stopped when the bars of a gate was less than a foot away. “Oh no. It’s pretty tight…” There was a gap there, right in the middle of the trail. A bridge spanned the distance. However, the gate was quite sturdy, and the logs close together. If she was careful, Frisk might be able to fit through, but it would take a bit of time…

All thoughts ended when a slow, sly voice sounded behind her. “Human. Don’t you know how to greet a new pal? Turn around and shake my hand.”

Frisk, at first didn’t turn around. She couldn’t. Fear froze her in place. Flowey hissed, “F-Frisk! Turn around!”

Eventually, the young human turned. Behind her was a skeleton just about her height. A black and gold-lined coat fit around his shoulders, hardly covering up the dark red shirt he wore beneath. The hood of it was very fluffy, so thick gold fur puffed around his neck, shoulders, and the back of his head. Black pants with gold stripes led from his coat down his heavy midnight and gold boots. A yellow chain of some sort stuck out of his pocket. The faintest hint of a necklace glinted from his neck. The skeleton held out a hand for Frisk to take. His eyes, completely black save for two red irises, glowed with a faint light of their own.

Frisk raised her hand. The skeleton smiled wider. His fanged teeth glinted in the light. One sharp tooth was gold as if to replace a missing one. Flowey looked up at Frisk and then stared at the skeleton. The skeleton raised an eyebrow. A small huff escaped his chest. The young human forced herself to take his hand.

Two things happened at once. The first thing she noticed was how cold his bony fingers were. The second was how her heart and brain, both used to tiny electrical bursts, immediately became fried by the massive amount of electricity conducted into her from some device the skeleton held. She immediately fell back into the abyss behind her. Flowey shrieked awful words, most consisting of four letters, as they fell. Shirk! Chink.

 

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

Frisk groaned and shook her head. She felt the grass under her fingers. She was again in that spot of grass with the sparkle before her and Chara sitting in front of her, a chuckle escaping her non-existent throat. Flowey, still in his little boot, sat on Frisk’s lap. Frisk gasped and put a hand to her chest. Her hand still hurt, though she knew nothing was wrong with it. “Wh-wh-what just happened?!”

Flowey stared at Frisk. “You… you just reset.”

The young human gave him a puzzled expression. “What?”

“You just died. We both just died,” Flowey stated. “But when you died you… you went back in time. You went to your last save point. Have those been here the whole time?”

“The yellow sparkles?” Frisk inquired. “Yes. They have. But… but how did I survive? Shouldn’t I be dead?”

Flowey shook his head. “You have something called ‘Determination.’ Lots of people have it but in small amounts. Monsters can’t have it, they’re too physically weak. That’s why they turn to dust when they die. But you and I? I have much more determination than hundreds, thousands, of humans. You have even more than I do! That’s what allows you to ‘save’ and ‘reset.’ Whenever you die, you will come back to your last ‘save point’ as long as you are determined to live. Got it?”

“You have it, too?” Frisk prompted.

“Yes, I do,” Flowey answered. “But since you… have more than me, I can’t ‘save’ or ‘reset’ anymore. You can.”

Frisk took a few deep breaths. Her nose scrunched up and tears threatened her. “That means I… died?! That–back there! In the forest! If I go out again, will I die? Can I go back? Do you think Toriel will accept me?”

“No! Hush,” Flowey cut off her demented wheezing. “It’s going to be alright. You just need to be careful. If you’re careful and smart then you might be able to get through this alive, okay? Now. What did we learn back there?”

“Th-that there’s a scary skeleton,” Frisk whimpered. “A-and a gap in the ground.”

“Yep.” Flowey nodded. “There’s a bridge that closes the gap. But it’s blocked by a gate. Now, I think you might be small enough to slip through. But we must keep a level head. Got it?”

Frisk nodded. “I-I-I understand. But, but I was so scared! I couldn’t think! I couldn’t breathe! I-I–”

“You went into a panic,” the flower cut her off again. “But that’s okay. You just need to take deep breaths. If things get scary, just look at me, alright? I’ll talk to you. You’ll look at a flower, right?” Flowey gave her an encouraging grin.

Frisk nodded and took a few deep breaths. “Okay. I got it. Thank you, Flowey.” She stood up again. Flowey’s boot was again hidden under her coat and hooked on her bag. Frisk threw her hood over herself again and walked out into the snowy forest. She did not dawdle. Frisk stepped over the branch. A few seconds later, it shattered. Frisk took a few deep breaths. She would be fine. Flowey would make sure of it.

She arrived at the gate. The skeleton appeared behind them. “Human…”

Frisk spun around. The skeleton, taken aback by her sudden movement, paused in his words. He held out his hand for her. Frisk didn’t move. She froze, staring in Sans’ direction, muscles stiff. Flowey glared at the skeleton. “We see that in your hand.”

The skeleton chuckled and waved his hand. A joy buzzer–decorated and modified–was stuck to the palm his hand. “hehe… guess that joke’s too predictable nowadays? funny how you turned around before i told you to…” The skeleton’s eye sockets narrowed, and he shrugged. He stuffed his hand back into his jacket pocket. “whatever. so, you’re a human, right? i’m sans, sans the skeleton. i’m actually on watch for humans right now. but… eh, i’m not really in the mood. my boss, though, papyrus? he’s a human hunting _fanatic_. believe me, you wouldn’t want to get on the wrong side of him,” Sans snickered. “glad i’m not you, eh? so… you came from back there? too bad it’s locked. ’guess you’re going to have to find a way around the bridge. my boss made these bars too close together to let anyone through.” He shrugged. “oh well. oh, and you better hurry. he’s supposed to be here soon.”

Flowey huffed. “Yeah, thanks for the information.”

Frisk shook herself internally and thought for a moment. “Um… if you don’t really feel in the mood to hurt anyone…” Frisk started slowly. “–would you mind helping me across?

Sans shrugged. “nah. it’d take the fun out of it, right? plus, it’d be pretty funny seeing you try and get through there. welp, talk to you later.” Sans turned and strolled into the tree line. Frisk ran to the spot in which he had been. The skeleton had vanished into thin air!

Frisk sighed and approached the gate bars.

Flowey looked over the bars. “Alright. So… you can’t climb… and there isn’t much time to squeeze through these bars… can you jump?”

“Jump?” Frisk wheezed. “N-no! No! I can’t jump!”

“Whoa! Whoa, there. Calm down. You’re not jumping the gap,” Flowey reassured her. “I want you to walk over to the ledge and jump onto the bridge! The gate might not be passable, but it’s pretty small. Just set me down on the bridge. If you need help, I will catch you, alright? Do you trust me?”

Frisk took a few shaky breaths. “I-I do. B-but what if I… what if I fall? I can’t s–”

“Hush!” Flowey hissed. “You’re going to do just fine!” He calmed. “Now put me down. Jump when you’re ready. I won’t let you fall.”

Frisk set Flowey down on the bridge and walked around the gate. One of his vines immediately whipped out and wrapped around two of the bars in the gate. It really wasn’t that long a jump. That gate wasn’t too big. Frisk attempted to take a calming breath. Yet she couldn’t do it. No matter how much she tried, she just couldn’t jump!

Chara set her hand on Frisk’s shoulder. _“Need a little help?”_

“Yes, please.” Frisk whimpered.

Chara’s hand phased through her chest. Frisk’s eyes turned a brilliant scarlet. Flowey showed up in crystal clarity before her, even if the world around was still an indecipherable blur. Chara crouched and jumped. Her arms slapped the bridge. Her fingers clawed into the wood. Unfortunately, the wood wasn’t rough like normal wood. It was slippery from the ice. Chara gasped as she slid farther off the side of the bridge.

Two of Flowey’s vines wrapped around Chara’s chest. The young human scrambled onto the bridge. Immediately, Chara, free from Frisk’s body, stumbled back. _“Did you just… throw me out? Huh.”_ For a moment, Frisk sat there, shivering and whimpering.

Flowey retracted his vines and stared up at her. “It’s alright. We’ve gotten past the rough part. Now let’s go. That noise must have attracted someone.”

Frisk nodded and hid Flowey inside of her coat again. She tugged her hood over her head with more force and stumbled off the bridge. Sans stood just a few feet away, snickering. Flowey shot a glare at him. “What are you lookin’ at?”

Sans laughed, “me? just a little kid with twigs for legs crying for a flower to help her.”

Frisk glared weakly at Sans but did nothing else. Flowey growled, “You insensitive smiley trash bag! She could’ve died!”

Sans’ smile turned sinister. His eyes darkened almost to the point where his dull pupils weren’t visible. “what did you call me, little flower?”

“A smiley trash bag! That’s what!” Flowey barked.

“F-Flowey!” Frisk squeaked. “No! Y-you’ll just make him mad!”

Flowey sneered, “And what? Hurt his feelings? I thought he didn’t _feel_ like hurting anyone.”

Sans chuckled. The lights returned to his eyes. He rubbed his neck. “you’re completely right. oh, would you look at that? guess i was wrong. boss is a bit early today. it would probably be a nice time to hide. i mean, you could run, but he’d catch you. he always does. or you could stand here and see how that goes.”

Frisk squeaked in terror. Where was a good place to hide? Where was a good place to hide?

Sans laughed, “not so tough, little flower? go on. i expect he’ll be here soon enough.”

Flowey hissed, “To the left! There’s a lamp over there!”

Frisk nodded and darted to the bluish blur hiding in the snow. She knelt behind it and curled up into as tight a ball as she could. From the other side of the trail, a much taller skeleton stormed out of the snow and trees. Black armor covered his chest and spiked out of his shoulders. A scarlet scarf covering part of it wrapped around his neck. His thick black pants were held together by a scarlet belt wielding a golden skull belt buckle. Unlike his shorter counterpart, his jaws could move independently so he could open his mouth when he spoke. Unlike Sans, his eyes were smaller and didn’t glow. Unlike Sans, he held an aura of power that neither Frisk nor Flowey had the will to trifle with.

“’sup?” Sans called.

“YOU KNOW WHAT’S ‘SUP,’ YOU LAZYBONES! YOU’RE OUTSIDE YOUR STATION! AGAIN!” Papyrus’ voice was much louder and had a slightly higher pitch than Sans’ deeper, quiet voice. “YOU STILL HAVEN’T RECALIBRATED YOUR PUZZLES! YOU JUST LAZE ABOUT YOUR STATION ALL DAY! WHAT ARE YOU EVEN DOING?!”

Sans smirked. “lookin’ at this lamp. it’s pretty cool. you wanna look?”

“NO! I DON’T HAVE TIME FOR THAT!” Papyrus barked and stamped his red, golden-buckle boots into the ground. “WHAT IF A HUMAN COMES THROUGH HERE?! I NEED TO BE READY. I WILL BE THE ONE TO CAPTURE A HUMAN! I NEED TO BE THE ONE!” Papyrus smirked and held his red, spike-gloved hand to his chest. His tattered, scarlet cape fluttered. Sans rolled his eyes. “THAN I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL GET THE RECOGNITION I UTTERLY DESERVE! I WILL BE HEAD OF THE ROYAL GUARD! I’LL BE ADMIRED BY ALL! BUT THAT CAN’T HAPPEN IF _YOUR_ SHENANIGANS CAUSE A HUMAN TO ESCAPE!”

Sans shrugged. “what? no, boss, i’m here to help. how about that lamp? it might help you.”

Papyrus snarled and snapped his hand toward the lamp. A long, sharp bone appeared above him. The red projectile launched itself at the lamp. “SHUT UP ABOUT THE L–”

Frisk and Flowey screamed as the lamp was shattered and the glowing red bone dug into the snow inches from Frisk’s leg. Sans snickered.

Papyrus sneered and then laughed. The bone dissolved. “NYEH-HEH! FINALLY, A HUMAN! NOW, HUMAN: YOU SHALL NOT PASS THIS AREA FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL STOP YOU! YOU WILL THEN BE CAPTURED AND BROUGHT TO THE CAPITAL! AND THEN! THEN! THE KING WILL KILL YOU AND TAKE YOUR SOUL! NYEH-HEH-HEH!” With that, the skeleton turned and raced out of view.

Frisk and Flowey watched him go.

Sans chuckled, “well that was fun. i hope you decide to play with the puzzles. you’re dead, anyway, but it should be fun playing along. well, good luck, kid. you’ll definitely need it. see you up ahead.” He waved his hand and vanished in the opposite direction of Papyrus.

Flowey sighed. “Well… we can make this work. We just have to keep a level head. Now, let’s continue forward. Come on. We’ll freeze if we stay here.”

Frisk unsteadily got to her feet and brushed off the snow on her pants and coat. She made sure that Flowey was almost completely hidden in her coat. Flowey’s head popped out. Otherwise, he was safe and warm. After taking a deep breath, Frisk walked out of the small area, easily passing a mediocre sentry station riddled with condiments. Frisk perked up upon finding sparkle and a chest beside it.

 _“Being able to overcome such scary obstacles fills you with determination.”_ Heat passed through her cold fingers. Frisk breathed a sigh of relief at the welcoming heat.

The young human opened her eyes and approached the box. “What is it?”

“It’s an inter-dimensional box,” Flowey informed her. “Anything you put in it will appear in a similar chest down the road. So, if you want to save anything that you don’t want getting ruined, you can put it in here.”

“Oh! Okay.” Frisk felt around the front of the chest for a few moments before opening it. Within the box was a pair of pink, leathery gloves.

_“Tough Gloves. ATK +5. ‘A worn pink leather glove. For five-fingered folk.’”_

Frisk picked up the warm, thick things. They were tough gloves, indeed. No matter what their use, they covered Frisk’s hands and kept out the cold. Frisk put down the unopened chocolate bar.

“Frisk, before I forget: don’t tell them,” Flowey stated.

“Tell them what?” Frisk closed the chest.

“Tell them that you… don’t have senses like them,” Flowey elaborated. “They’ll take anything they can get from you, you know that.”

Frisk nodded. “They’ll find out sooner or later. But I guess… I guess not telling them would be best. I’m just afraid that maybe… what are these puzzles going to be like?”

“I don’t know. We’ll just have to find out. Come on. Let’s keep moving,” Flowey encouraged with a small smile.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to Snowdin!
> 
> Disclaimer: a fictional lamp was shattered in the creation of this chapter. Only YOU can stop lamp abuse.


	6. Like Father Like Son

Frisk and Flowey hadn’t even taken a turn through the woods when a monster blocked their way. Snowdrake fluttered forth!

Frisk’s soul appeared before her. Her eyes grew wide. The creature before them was a bit larger than her. Although his head and body were shaped like an odd snowflake, his dark eyes and wicked beak were nothing like the playful crystals that fluttered in the wind.

_“Snowdrake–Attack 12, Defense 7. HP 72. This teen comedian fights to keep a captive audience.”_

“Ice puns are ‘snow’ problem!” Snowdrake boasted, though his voice wavered. Frisk chuckled in a weak, if encouraging, manner. Snowdrake rolled his eyes and sighed. “Oh whatever. Pity laughs. God, my father was right.”

Snowdrake about stalked off when Frisk called him back, “Hello? Snowdrake?”

Snowdrake turned to Frisk. “It’s Snowy. What do you want?”

“Um… you’re starting off well,” Frisk complimented. “But, uh… maybe try for more complex jokes rather than just ice and snow puns. Um… like… questions! How do you get a one-armed guy out of a tree?”

Snowy hesitated. “…how?”

“You wave!” Frisk chuckled.

Snowy snorted and rolled his eyes, though a faint smile dressed his wicked beak. “Yeah, yeah. Cute joke. Not good, but alright. I have a much better one, though.”

“Oh?” Frisk prompted.

“How many monsters does it take to build a snowman?”

“Um… how many?”

“Three! One to freeze the guy and another to cover him with snow!” Snowy chuckled and sat down on a stray log.

Frisk laughed, though really the joke wasn’t too pleasant. “Nice! Uh, why didn’t the gardener plant any flowers?” Frisk settled down on a rock.

“Why?” the teen comedian prompted.

“Because he hadn’t _botany!_ ” This caused them both to laugh. Flowey rolled his eyes.

The two of them threw jokes at each other for a good hour. Each joke was worse than the last, as Flowey claimed. Chara suggested ones when Frisk ran out. However, no game, no matter how fun, can last forever. Snowy sighed and got up. “Well, I better get back to Chilldrake before he thinks I got dusted. I’ll see you later…?”

“Frisk.” Frisk got up. “And this is Flowey.”

“Alright. I’ll see you and your wet blanket later, Frisk. Bye.” Snowy waved his wing and fluttered back into the forest.

“See ya!” Frisk called and began walking farther into the forest.

“Could that have taken any longer?” Flowey groaned.

Frisk shook her head. “No! Snowy needed the laugh. He was feeling down and not good with himself.”

“pfft.” The voice they’d come accustomed to caused Frisk to stop. “nice jokes, kid. where’d you learn them? kindergarten?”

Frisk turned to find Sans standing near a tree she’d just passed up. “No.”

Sans looked over at the trail and then back at Frisk. “you know, it’s been an hour. i’m sure my boss is getting pretty impatient with you. i’d hurry up if i were you. i mean, unless you’d like to die now. then go ahead and dawdle.” Sans vanished into the trees again.

Flowey groaned. “Ugh! When will that smiley trash bag ever leave us alone?”

“Don’t call him that!” Frisk scolded. “Be nice! But I don’t know. Probably after we leave Snowdin. Flowey? What’s after Snowdin?”

“Well, once we pass the town, we’ll be going into the marsh,” Flowey informed her. “It’s named Waterfall and I think you can guess why. After that is Hotland. You _definitely_ won’t need a coat there. We’ll have to get through the Core and then through the King’s Palace to get to the barrier. Since you’re a human, you can leave.”

“What about you?” Frisk prompted. “Could you come with me?”

“I… yes,” Flowey answered. “Just as long as you take me, alright?”

“Alright.” Frisk smiled and then stopped. Beside her was a sentry station. Made of bone and wood, the structure stood tall and elegant. Gold and red and black paint and details were painstakingly carved and painted into every crevice and surface. Even accidental cracks had been incorporated into the design.

Flowey tipped his head. “Did that Papyrus guy make this? Looks like something he’d do. I mean, if he did, he’s probably a perfectionist.”

“What is it?” Frisk asked, completely blank. A red, gold, and black blur was painted over the whites and grays of the snowy forest.

“It’s a well-crafted sentry station,” Flowey informed them. “But let’s keep moving.”

Frisk continued to walk. She only stopped when a rough, growling voice piped up beside her. “Did something just move?” A dog-human monster raised his head. His scrappy black and white fur was pressed tight to him in multiple places by jeans and a shirt. His eyes, squinted, glared at Frisk and Flowey and the forest on either side of them. “Was it my imagination? No, something definitely moved! Who’s there?” The dog jumped from his sentry station and unsheathed his daggers. They could be daggers or they could be short swords. Either way, they glowed scarlet. “Don’t move–or I’ll make sure you _never_ move again!”

_“Doggo–Attack 13, Defense 7. HP 65. Partially blind; can only see moving things.”_

Frisk’s eyes grew round. “Oh no! He’s blind, isn’t he?”

Doggo’s attention snapped to Frisk. “There you are!”

“Don’t move!” Flowey hissed. “Trust me! Do not move an inch!”

Frisk shut her eyes and tensed. The dagger passed straight through Frisk’s soul and chest. Yet there was no pain.

Doggo twitched his ears. “I knew I heard something… where are you?!”

Frisk opened her eyes. Doggo’s squinted eyes darted back and forth. Frisk extended her hand and patted his head. Well, she managed to pet his snout, though a few fingers brushed his forehead. Doggo yelped and jumped backward. His ears lay flat and tail brushed his shins. “Wh-who–?! P-Papyrus? Is that you?”

“No?” Frisk answered. “I won’t hurt you. I promise!”

Doggo bared his teeth a snarl. “Where are you?” He swung his daggers at her again. Frisk and Flowey stayed perfectly still. The daggers pasted straight through her. Confident, Frisk extended her hand and rubbed his neck. Doggo relaxed. His ears flicked forward, and his tail gently waved from side to side. Frisk retracted her hand and looked up at him. Doggo hesitated and then bared his teeth. “Wh-who was that? Who touched me? Was it you, Sans? Not funny! Gah! Whatever.” Doggo flattened his ears again and stormed off, back to his sentry post.

Frisk watched him go before continuing down the trail. “Poor guy,” Frisk sighed. “He looked hurt! Like someone hit him!”

“They probably hit him,” Flowey huffed. “Most of the Snowdin Guard are dogs. You can’t play nice with them. But anyway, he was using a red attack.”

“A red attack?” Frisk prompted.

“Yes. It’s a type of magic attack,” Flowey informed her. “It’s super powerful. However, it can only hurt you if you move. I guess that’s why Doggo has those enchanted daggers. He can only see moving things, after all.”

“Oh! That’s terrible,” Frisk muttered.

Flowey shrugged. “If he had his full sight, you’d have been in a much worse fight.”

“Yeah, I guess.” Frisk couldn’t really move far as the ground slipped out from under her. Frisk yelped and spun around so that she landed on her back rather than on Flowey. They slid quite a while before hitting snow again.

“Are you okay?” Flowey gasped.

Frisk nodded. “Yeah.” She winced as she sat up. “My back hurts a bit.”

She heard a snicker behind her. “wow. haven’t seen someone fall like that in a while! you should probably watch where you’re going next time, eh?”

Flowey glared up at Sans, who stood nonchalantly a few feet away. “We don’t know the area very well yet. I don’t see you trying to help us.”

“why’d i help you?” Sans prompted. “my boss wouldn’t be too happy about that. heh. he always seems to know what’s happening around here. funny what you did with doggo. i do it all the time.” Sans snickered.

“Hey!” Frisk gasped. “That’s mean! Doggo’s blind; don’t make fun of him for it.”

Flowey piped up, “Yeah. It was. Now do you want to move out of the way or what?”

“nah. i’m fine, thanks.”

Frisk sighed. “I’ve got it, Flowey. You don’t need to worry.” The young human crawled onto the snow and shakily got to her feet. Great. She really had a bad fall, didn’t she?

“Are you _sure_ that you’re okay?” Flowey prompted as she limped forward.

“I’m fine. I just need to stretch a bit.”

“i’d get that checked if i were you!” Sans called after her. “bad legs means bad fights! you’re terrible as it is, you know. don’t want to make it any worse.”

Flowey stuck his tongue out at Sans before looking forward again. “Don’t listen to him. Let’s go find somewhere to rest and maybe eat something.”

Frisk nodded. “Okay. How about–ap!” Frisk jumped. Her soul appeared before her chest. Blocking her way was a pale cream dog. It wasn’t that big–just a little shorter than Frisk–and its tail, quite fluffy, moved slowly back and forth. Although most of its armored body was hidden behind a shield and sword, they could see its tan, helmetless head.

_“Lesser Dog–Attack 12, Defense 2. HP 60. Wields a stone dagger made of pommer-granite.”_

Lesser dog barked and swung his sword at her. Before it could reach her, it glowed red. Frisk stood stock still. After it passed over her, it turned white again and swung back. She dodged this swing, too. Lesser dog pulled its arm back and stared at Frisk. Frisk attempted to raise her hand to pet it. The dog whined and took a step back, tail between its legs.

“Hey, I won’t hurt you! I promise,” Frisk comforted and extended her hand farther. The dog whimpered but didn’t move as Frisk patted its head. It winced and then opened its eyes. The dog’s tail wagged back and forth in tentative excitement. Frisk laughed and stepped back. Although Lesser Dog attacked her again, it put less heart into its attack.

Frisk petted it again. Its neck grew a few inches and its wagged faster. This time, the dog didn’t attack. Eventually, its neck grew so long that Frisk had to jump to pet it.

“I think that’s enough petting,” Flowey stated.

Frisk frowned. “Really? But…”

“Yes! We need to get through here as fast as possible! You already stopped for an hour to throw bad jokes around with Snowy,” Flowey reminded her.

“Oh. Yeah, I guess I did. Well, bye Lesser Dog! Have a nice day!”

Lesser Dog barked and bounded away. Its neck shrunk to its normal size.

Frisk giggled at the dog’s excitement before continuing onward. Flowey held up his vines. “Stop.”

Before them was a large square of ground that had been swept of most of its snow. Papyrus and Sans stood on the other side. The taller skeleton perked up at their approach. “HUMAN! IN ORDER TO STOP YOU, WE’VE CREATED SOME PUZZLES!”

“Puzzles?” Frisk prompted.

“It’s tradition,” Flowey informed her.

Papyrus went on, “THIS IS THE INVISIBLE ELECTRICITY MAZE! WHEN YOU TOUCH THE WALLS OF THIS MAZE, YOU WILL GET A HEARTY JOLT! GO AHEAD, HUMAN! TRY IT OUT FOR YOURSELF!”

Sans snickered, “but i’d avoid touching the walls. they might kill you or something. electricity does that sometimes.”

Frisk froze to the spot, eyes growing round in terror, as she remembered the joy buzzer Sans had used on her. This puzzle was _lethal?_

“DAMMIT, SANS! LOOK WHAT YOU DID! IF YOU SCARE THE HUMAN LIKE THAT, THEY CAN’T PROCEED!” Papyrus scolded.

“’kay boss. sheesh. just having a bit of fun here.”

Papyrus turned back to the human. “GO ON! THIS MAZE WON’T KILL YOU. I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, HAVE CLASS, AFTER ALL, SO ALL OF MY PUZZLES ARE EXPERTLY MADE! THEY’RE NOT AS SIMPLE AND CRUDE AS _LETHAL TRAPS!_ ”

Flowey looked back at Frisk. “Okay. This won’t kill you. Just… feel around with your feet. See if you can sense the walls.”

Frisk nodded and shuffled forward. She was almost immediately zapped. Frisk jumped back with a gasp of pain and surprise. Flowey sighed, “That wasn’t _too_ bad, was it? Come on! The quicker we get through, the quicker we can leave!”

Frisk nodded and shuffled the snow before herself. Eventually, she got to a place where static electricity did not bother her feet. When she shuffled forward, she wasn’t shocked. Frisk smiled and continued forward. After about a dozen shock-inducing failures, one of which made her jump away from an electric wall and fall into another, she made it to the other side.

“HMM… NOT AS GOOD AS YOU COULD HAVE BEEN, BUT YOU MADE IT! HOWEVER, THE NEXT PUZZLE WILL NOT BE THAT EASY! IT IS DESIGNED BY MY LACKEY, SANS. YOU WILL SURELY BE CONFOUNDED AND WHEN YOU ARE, WE HAVE THE RIGHT TO CAPTURE YOU! NYEH-HEH-HEH!” Papyrus laughed and bounded back down the trail.

Sans watched as Frisk limped in the direction that Papyrus had raced down. “hey, kid. nice try. hope you didn’t get too battered, right? how’s the leg?”

“Um… okay,” Frisk assured him.

“okay. welp, see ya later.” Sans vanished into the tree line again.

“Where does he keep going?” Flowey wondered aloud. “Anyway, we should stop for a second. Do you still have that candy?”

Frisk gently sat on the log. “Did you want some?”

Flowey shook his head. “No. But it heals you. Here in the Underground, food will heal you. That candy doesn’t do very much, but it could help your back.”

“Really?” Frisk smiled and took out the candy she’d been hiding in her pockets. It had a distinct, non-licorice flavor. Almost immediately, she stopped hurting. “Wow! That’s–that’s really nice. Thanks, Flowey! Did you want one?”

Flowey shook his head. “No. I’m alright. Now, what’s around here… ah! There’s a bridge. I think there might be another puzzle over there… it can’t be too bad, though. Come on, let’s go.”

Frisk nodded and strolled into the snow. A cliff created an impassable barrier to the north and south of them. An extremely deep ditch split their little piece of land in half. A deep brown bridge spanned the distance between the two pieces of land. Frisk happily skipped over it. A large “Z” shaped area within the area was cleared of snow. A patch of ice created a swath of impassible territory within the bottom left corner of it. A ball of snow sat happily at the very top with a hole just big enough for it at the bottom right corner. “What’s this?”

“It’s just a game. You have to push the ball of snow over to the hole. Depending on how fast you do it, since the ball melts rather quickly, you can win a prize. But that will take a long time. I’m sure that there is a better way to…” Flowey cut himself off with a sigh as Frisk began pushing the ball to the hole.

Unfortunately, the ball melted quite often as it was caught on the other side of the ice. It took a while to run around the ice to push the ball again. That was not to mention that the ball was a very bright shade of snowy white, as it was made from snow, and the ground was just a shade darker as it was also made of snow. So, Frisk could not even begin to see the game they were playing. Flowey and Chara both helped guide her through the game. Although many times the ball melted before it could arrive at the hole, there were times when it did make it. When the ball was kicked into the hole, a flag of varying colors with different messages would pop up along with a different amount of gold.

Frisk shuffled through the snow and guided the ball slowly to the hole. A vibrant green flag popped out of the hole, a message clinging to its pole just below the flag. A single g plopped into the snow. Flowey read aloud, “Your concern and care for ‘Ball’ led to a delicious victory.”

Frisk struggled to get the ball to the hole before it melted. A purple flag bearing a message popped out of the ground. Two g clinked together on the snow. Flowey looked over the message on the pole. “Even when you felt trapped, you took notes and achieved the end of ‘Ball.’”

Frisk, a smile now on her face as she began to get used to the ball, bounced and jumped and danced about the ball. It became more of a dance with the ball than to get the ball into the hole. A blue flag jumped out of the ground bearing a message. Two g plopped into the snow. “Hopping and twirling, your original style pulled you through.”

After a quick scolding from Flowey, Frisk stopped playing with the ball and concentrated on finishing the game. With great care and accuracy, Frisk slowly guided the ball to the hole. A yellow flag popped out of the ground along with three g. “Your sure-fire accuracy put an end to the mayhem of ‘Ball.’”

Frisk, happy with their progress, played the game again. Although guiding it down the area shrunk it a bit, a final kick sent it bouncing into the hole. A cyan flag bearing four g popped out of the hole in the snow. “‘Ball’ is ‘Small.’ You waited, still, for this opportunity, then dethroned ‘Ball’ with a sharp attack.”

Flowey, irritated, finally helped in earnest. They were able to get the ball safely and quickly to the goal. An orange flag popped out of the ground. Five g littered the snowy ground around them. “You are the kind of person who rushes fists-first through all obstacles.”

Determined to see the game completed, Frisk rushed the ball across the game with as much accuracy and speed as a person who could see their target. Hours past. Soon, even Frisk’s patience was starting to run thin. After hours of attempts, Frisk was able to kick the ball to the hole within a few breaths of hitting it. Just as the snowball flew into the hole… it bounced out and rolled a few feet away, where it melted. The offending object–a pearly white bone–stuck out of the ground near the hole.

Nearby, Sans started snickering uncontrollably.

Frisk blinked. “That… was our best run…”

Flowey’s face contorted so that his mouth, wide and full of sharp teeth, opened in a hiss and his black eyes gleaming in white pupils glared at Sans. “I’M GOING TO KILL THAT SKELETON!”

“you can try!” Sans goaded.

Frisk glared at Sans and balled up her fists. “Flowey,” she stated tersely. “Ignore him. He’s just being a bully.” She spun on her heel and stalked back to the ball. She yelled over her shoulder, “And if that ball gets knocked out of its hole again, you won’t be happy, Sans!”

Sans laughed, “oh? what are you going to do? scold me to death?”

Cameline’s voice came to mind. _“Don’t EVER let ANYONE talk to you like that. Show them the power that you hold. Make them sorry they ever crossed a toe over the line…”_

Frisk spun around. In moments, she was face to face with Sans, her knife pointed directly at his chest. Sans took a step back, otherwise too shocked to move. Flowey melted into her coat. Frisk hissed between her teeth, letting her fury drip into her words, “Sans, I am _not_ afraid of you. I could kill you and everyone you love, hate, admire, despise, respect, know, heard about, or will ever hear about. I could turn every one of them to dust. Every. One. Of. Them.”

_“…make them sorry they ever threatened you. Make them sorry they ever hurt you…”_

She took a deep, shaky breath. “Even if you magically manage to get away from me, I will hunt you down like the little beast you are and shove this knife through your eyes so that _you can experience what it is to be blind WHILE I RIP OUT YOUR HEART!_ ” Her words turned into a shriek. “DO YOU UNDERSTAND ME YOU SACK OF BONES AND MAGIC?! DO YOU?!” She took another step forward, her entire body quivering. Sans slowly nodded. “Good. Don’t you _ever_ even _dare_ think that I could not deliver on that threat.”

_“…and most of all, never give them the honor of MERCY.”_

She shut her eyes and slowly put away her knife. “Now, I’m going to go back to playing my game of ball. You’re going to leave. I don’t want to hurt you, Sans. I really, really don’t. I don’t like hurting people–especially out of anger. But sometimes, things happen. I don’t want you to be here if something _does_ happen.”

She took a step back and another deep breath to relax. When she opened her eyes, Sans was gone. Frisk stalked back to her place by the ball. “Mind helping me?” she mumbled mutinously and kicked the ball. Flowey, shivering, didn’t move. Chara took over, instead.

A scarlet flag burst from the hole. Fifty g rained across the snowy ground. Chara stated, _“Bravery. Justice. Integrity. Kindness. Perseverance. Patience. Using these, you were able to win at ‘Ball Game.’”_

Frisk smiled and sat down beside the hole. She sighed and chuckled, her anger seeping away in the wake of excitement in their accomplishment. “See? I knew we could do it! We just had to stay determined! How many g did we get?”

Flowey slowly emerged from her coat, took their bag, and looked through it. “Well, we got forty-two green, forty-seven purple, forty-five blue, thirty-four yellow, thirteen cyan, eight orange, and one red flag. That should be… four-seventy? I think? Yes, we have 470.”

“Whoa!” Frisk breathed. “That’s so cool! I’ve never even had a hundred of anything before! …Flowey, you don’t have to be scared.”

“S-scared? I’m not scared!” Flowey’s voice cracked.

_“He always was a bad liar,”_ Chara commented.

Frisk sighed. “Look, Flowey, it’s okay. I’d never hurt you! And… and maybe I was being too harsh. But, I mean, you know I’d never hurt anyone, right?”

“Y-yeah.” Flowey nodded. “Yeah, I know. Look, um… let’s keep going we don’t want to keep Papyrus waiting.”

Frisk nodded and stood up. “Oh! Right! It’s very rude to keep someone waiting.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "WHERE I'M FROM, IT'S A LOVING TRADITION TO SUFFER THROUGH HORRIBLE PUZZLES FOR NO REASON!"
> 
> Did I say the jokes were going to get better? Haha I lied. Sorry.
> 
> Also, throughout the story, you'll find how different characters cope with different negative emotions. Even seemingly random events have some core of unity.


	7. Bad Smell

“Oops. Skeleton alert,” Flowey huffed with a roll of his eyes.

Frisk perked up and walked to the square patch of mostly snowless ground. A piece of paper was in the center. Papyrus and Sans cut off their conversation to look at the young human. Papyrus smiled and called, “HUMAN! I HOPE YOU ARE READY FOR…” Papyrus’ eyes narrowed. “SANS! WHERE’S THE PUZZLE?”

“it’s right there, boss. trust me, they won’t get past this one,” Sans reassured him.

Frisk knelt beside the piece of paper. Scribbles covered most of the page. A sweating ice cube with a fanged smile sat on the middle left edge of the page. A list of scribbles was under the main block of text. “What is…?”

Flowey sighed. “It’s a crossword puzzle. Why am I surprised? You don’t look like the type to try to do anything.”

“Flowey!” Frisk scolded and sat down more comfortably. “He didn’t even do anything mean this time! …do I have a pen?” She zipped down her coat and checked her pockets and bag. Finally, a pen half-filled with ink was produced from her bag.

“Just… set me down,” Flowey grumbled. Frisk set him down beside the puzzle and offered him her pen.

“A CROSSWORD?” Papyrus hissed at Sans. “ARE YOU SERIOUS?”

“yeah,” Sans answered with a shrug.

“UGH! AT LEAST GIVE THEM A CHALLENGE. JUMBLE IS EASILY HARDER THAN A _CROSSWORD,_ ” Papyrus growled.

“nah, boss. watch. they’ll fail this one for sure. you’ll _see._ ” Sans’ scarlet eyes flicked to Frisk. “unless you can even _read_ that.”

Flowey hissed, “Shut up! Fine. Frisk, circle–”

“isn’t the human supposed to solve it?” Sans raised his voice to cut off the flower.

“…YES. YES, THEY ARE.” Papyrus’ eyes narrowed in suspicion at Frisk.

Flowey’s vine slipped behind her back and through the sleeve of her sweater–just out of sight of the sweater’s cuff. “Come on, Frisk. You can get this easily!”

Frisk chuckled and squinted her eyes at the paper. “Y-yeah.” On occasion, Flowey would squeeze her wrist and guide her hand across some of the letters.

Eventually, Frisk crossed through the last of the words. Flowey’s vine retracted. Frisk put away her pen, put Flowey back in her jacket, and got up. She handed it over to Papyrus, acutely aware that Sans had taken a step back. “There! All twelve words.”

Flowey smirked at Sans and then smiled at Papyrus. “I agree. Jumble would’ve been much harder.” Frisk gave him a warning look. Sans’ eyes narrowed, though his permanent smile did not leave him.

Papyrus huffed, “OF COURSE THAT’S RIGHT. THIS CROSSWORD WAS MUCH TOO EASY! SANS AND I WILL MEET YOU AT THE NEXT PUZZLE, THEN. COME ON, YOU LAZY BONES!” Papyrus snapped at Sans before stalking off in the direction of the new puzzle.

Sans glared at them. “don’t let him find out you cheated. don’t deny it. i know what you did, you dirty cheater.” He smirked and strolled after his brother, who was currently huffing at him a few yards away.

Papyrus was easily faster, but Sans somehow caught up to him. Frisk sighed and continued their path. Just before a rocky outcrop, a table dressed by an empty plate and a microwave sat. A yellow sparkle hovered opposite of it on the narrow piece of land. Two notes were on the plate. Flowey looked over the notes. “The first one says: ‘Cinnabunnies for anyone who wants them! If you like them, visit my store!’ The second one says: ‘sorry. i ate them all. they weren’t even that good. – sans.’ That sounds like him.” Flowey huffed and looked at the microwave. A cord ran from it to the wall, where a generator was merged into the rock. A little mouse hole was beside it, heavily decorated with cinnamon bunny crumbs. A mouse poked its little head out to snatch another crumb before retreating. Frisk touched the little yellow sparkle.

_“Seeing such a cute mouse eat a treat fills you with determination.”_

Flowey watched the area in front of them as they walked. “Oh, a sign… hmm… ‘Warning: Dog Marriage.’ What kind of warning is that? Can dogs even get married?”

“Oh! That’s so cute!” Frisk cooed. They found two paths. One of them led to a dead end while the other dipped down and went to the right. Trees and rocks blocked their way in many places.

“Frisk? Where are you going?” Flowey prompted as Frisk walked toward the dead end. “The trail’s that way!”

“I know. But what if there’s something here?” Frisk prompted as she walked. She ducked under a tree branch and passed a large boulder. Behind another few trees was a small strip of snowless land. “Oh! Is this another puzzle?”

“I don’t know. Unlikely,” Flowey answered. “It’s a bit small.”

“Well… only one way to find out!” Frisk pawed at the ground with her foot. “Hmm… I think there’s something there. What is it?” The young human knelt and felt the ground with her hand. Flowey touched one of his vines to the ground. _Click!_ The switch was depressed with vines.

“Well, let’s hope that was a good thing,” Flowey sighed.

“I wonder what it did.” Frisk turned and strolled away from the dead end and down through the path they needed to take. A large area of loose snow made a square before a line of retracted spikes. When Frisk kicked at the snow, it began to reveal a map where a red x marked the spot where the switch was. “Oh! We figured out the puzzle without looking at the instructions!”

“Well… let’s not be too sure,” Flowey replied slowly. “What if that alerted some guards? I think there are a few other dogs around here.”

“Oh. Well, let’s find out, then.” Frisk gently hopped over the line of retracted spikes. A bridge spanned between their piece of land and another piece of land, which moved in the right direction. As soon as she walked over the bridge and to a snowless area of land on the other side, two barks alerted them of the presence of new dogs.

Two dogs wielding very large axes and donned in midnight hoods sniffed around the place. “Is that…?” the male hound inquired. Scars cut across his face and the visible parts of his hands and ankles.

“A smell?” the female agreed, also riddled with scars. “A bad smell, too…”

The male dog walked around to where Frisk was standing. He sniffed the air with a new fervor. “I think I smell…”

“…a human!” the female hissed in excitement as she now flanked Frisk.

Frisk’s soul appeared in front of her. The two dogs now stood before her, axes gleaming in the light. They stood quite close to each other. Although they glared in Frisk’s direction, their axes were held to shelter each other.

_Dogamy–Attack 14, Defense 5. HP 98. “Knows only what he smells. Husband of Dogeressa.”_

_Dogeressa–Attack 14, Defense 5. HP 98. “Wife of Dogamy. Loves the smell of puppies._ _”_

Dogamy and Dogeressa’s axes left each other’s sides. Now, they whipped through the air and smashed into the ground. Frisk wheezed as the face of Dogamy’s ax sent her sprawling on the wet, snowy ground below. She scrambled to her feet to avoid another attack.

“Where’s that smell…?” Dogamy growled. Their axes shifted to protect each other again.

Frisk shook off the snow. “U-um, I’m a good smell?”

“Such a tiny voice…” Dogeressa mumbled.

“What does that matter?” Dogamy growled and barked. Dogeressa snarled and barked as well.

Frisk yelped as white and red blurs raced around her. Red phased right through her. White, on the other hand, didn’t. She gasped and grimaced as her soul began to crack under the pressure.

“I won’t hurt you!” Frisk offered.

They didn’t speak this time. They barked in unison again. Unfortunately, Frisk managed to evade the white blurs only to fall victim to a red one. Her soul cracked and immediately Frisk felt faint. She collapsed as the attack nearly shattered her soul completely. The dogs snarled at her again. Frisk tried to move but ended up flopping on her side. Now she was cold as snow clung to her clothes.

Dogamy sniffed the air. “Wait… what’s that smell?”

“Are you…?” Dogeressa tipped her head. “–actually a puppy?” Both of their axes lowered.

Frisk whimpered and got to her feet.

“We attacked a puppy!” Dogeressa yelped and then snarled. “A weird smell? You almost killed a puppy!”

“Me? You attacked it, too!” Dogamy growled back.

Dogeressa snarled and snapped at him. She tore the fur on his muzzle with her sharp teeth. “Don’t you _dare_ blame me!”

Dogamy snapped at her, too. She managed to dodge the attack. Every tooth she could possibly bare glinted in the light. Their axes clattered to the ground. “ _Your_ attack nearly killed them!” Dogamy barked.

Frisk bowed her head and ran away. Now the origin of their scars wasn’t so mysterious.

Flowey yelped, “Wait! Wait!”

Frisk gasped and staggered to a stop. She nearly slipped over the edge of a precipice.

“You should sit down,” Flowey advised.

Frisk nodded and shakily sat down on one of the stones. The second piece of candy was not too much of a balm. Although it stopped most of the pain, her left shoulder and ankle still hurt. “That’s all I have left.”

Flowey looked around. There was a puzzle nearby. It was shaped in a sideways H made of stone. A blue X was in either side of the center stripe of rocks. Below the side-ways, H was a sign. Above the puzzle was a switch. On the other side of the puzzle was a strip of spikes. “Well… maybe we can find something later on. If not, well, we’ll figure it out.”

Frisk nodded and got up. “Alright. What does that sign say?”

Flowey, once they got within range, read aloud, “‘Turn every X into an O and then press the button.’ Easy enough.”

Frisk nodded and walked around it. As soon as they stepped on the blue X, it turned into a red O. Once both X’s were O’s, Frisk stood on the switch. The strip of spikes retracted into the ground.

Frisk, confident, strode over the former wall of spikes and into the next area. She passed a particularly large tree to the left only to see Papyrus staring down the next puzzle. Frisk jumped upon finding the red-garbed skeleton beside her.

“Ak! I thought that smiley trash-bag was the one who comes out of thin air,” Flowey grumbled.

Papyrus’ attention snapped to them. Flowey quieted and hid in Frisk’s jacket. “HUMAN! YOU MADE IT PAST THOSE DOGS? SINCE YOU SOLVED THAT X-AND-O PUZZLE, I’M SURE YOU KNOW HOW TO OPERATE THEM.” Papyrus strode over to the new puzzle. Frisk was quick to heel. Then, the skeleton stopped. The new puzzle looked more like a maze. “HMM… I DON’T KNOW HOW TO SAY THIS. WELL, YOU WERE TAKING YOUR TIME, SO I DECIDED TO MAKE A FEW IMPROVEMENTS TO THIS PUZZLE BY ARRANGING IT IN THE SHAPE OF MY FACE!” Papyrus smirked and held his hand to his chest. “UNFORTUNATELY, THE SNOW STUCK TO THE GROUND, SO THE SOLUTION IS COMPLETELY DIFFERENT! THERE MIGHT NOT EVEN BE ONE! THAT IS COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE. SO, I WILL SOLVE THIS PUZZLE MYSELF! YOU CAN TRY IT OUT IN THE MEANTIME.”

Frisk nodded happily. “I’d love to! Now… um…” She walked around the puzzle a few times. It did look like Papyrus’ face. However, the X’s were very close together. There was a pattern, but of what kind?

If Frisk stepped on an X twice or stepped on an O, it would turn into a green triangle that couldn’t be changed. So, Frisk reset the puzzle by stepping on the button and continued moving around it. After a few minutes of trying and failing, Frisk and Flowey finally found the solution. The wall of spikes on the other side retreated.

Papyrus, who had previously been very harshly scolding an icecap, turned to look at the noise. Immediately, the teenager fled. “SO, YOU SOLVED IT! BEFORE EVEN I DID! INCREDIBLE! AH, WELL THEN. I’M SURE YOU’LL LOVE THE NEXT PUZZLE! IT MIGHT EVEN BE TOO EASY FOR YOU! NYEH-HEH-HEH!” Papyrus walked around the puzzle and darted away.

Frisk, beaming, held Flowey close and strode after him. Sans’ snarky voice stopped them. “heh. you must be great at puzzles, huh? not like you could’ve _seen_ this one before. you didn’t even need my help. which is great because i really like doing nothing.”

Flowey huffed, “You wouldn’t have helped us, anyway.”

“you don’t know that.” Sans shrugged. “but, i guess i’ll be up ahead, kid. see ya.” The short skeleton strolled back across the puzzle.

Frisk cocked her head before shaking herself and continuing. Flowey grumbled, “Yeah, right. Why is he even so mean? At least Papyrus is decent enough to admit when you win.”

“Papyrus is much nicer,” Frisk agreed. “But you should probably stop being so mean. It’s like trying to fight fire with fire. You’ll both get burned.”

Flowey grumbled, “Yeah, I guess.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steak in the Shape of Mettaton's Face. Heals 60 HP. "Huge steak in the shape of Mettaton's Face. (You don't feel like it's made of real meat...)"
> 
> But really, though in the original game the crossword puzzle is technically impossible, I would imagine UF!Sans (in this instance) would give them one that's possible. It further underlines the point that they're cheating by being able to complete it. Why? Because Frisk can't do word puzzles. If it was impossible, Papyrus would've written it off as something Sans did rather than Frisk.
> 
> Anyway, we're getting farther through the icy forest! I can't wait to leave and go somewhere warmer. Haha... ha... heh.


	8. Ironically, Not Color Blind

Flowey perked up with a sarcastic, exasperated cheer. “Oh good. Found them again!”

Frisk perked up and stopped. Before them was a bridge connecting their land to another piece of land. The other piece of land was dominated by a large tile floor of varying shades of gray, black, and white. A square machine sat in the snow on the left-top corner. Sans was immediately next to it. Papyrus, however, was just about a foot away from the tiles at the center.

“HUMAN! YOU’RE HERE. GOOD. THIS IS THE INFAMOUS ‘COLORED TILE MAZE’ MADE BY THE BRILLIANT DR. ALPHYS! YOU SEE THESE TILES? ONCE I THROW THIS SWITCH, THEY’LL START CHANGING COLOR! EACH COLOR HAS A DIFFERENT FUNCTION!”

Papyrus took a deep breath and began, “RED TILES ARE IMPASSIBLE. YOU CANNOT STEP ON THEM! YELLOW TILES ARE ELECTRIC; THEY WILL SHOCK YOU! GREEN TILES ARE ALARM TILES. IF YOU STEP ON THEM, YOU’LL BE FORCED TO FIGHT A MONSTER! ORANGE TILES ARE ORANGE SCENTED! THEY’LL MAKE YOU SMELL LIKE ORANGES. BLUE TILES ARE WATER TILES. SWIM THROUGH THEM ALL YOU LIKE. HOWEVER! IF YOU SMELL LIKE ORANGES, PIRANHAS WILL BITE YOU! ALSO, IF A BLUE TILE IS NEXT TO A YELLOW TILE, IT’LL SHOCK YOU! PURPLE TILES ARE SLIPPERY AND SOAPY! YOU’LL SLIDE TO THE NEXT TILE. THEY’LL MAKE YOU SMELL LIKE LEMONS, WHICH THE PIRANHAS HATE! FINALLY: PINK TILES. THEY DO ABSOLUTELY NOTHING; STEP ON THEM ALL YOU LIKE. DO YOU UNDERSTAND?”

Frisk hesitated and looked at Flowey. “D-do you get it?”

“Yeah… a few of them. Do you?”

“Um… most of them?”

Papyrus laughed, “GREAT! THERE IS ONE LAST THING: THIS TILE MAZE IS COMPLETELY RANDOM! ARE YOU READY? GOOD! ONCE I PULL THIS LEVER, THE PUZZLE WILL ACTIVATE!” Papyrus stepped toward the machine and pulled a lever connected to it. Flowey narrowed his eyes and looked over the tiles as they rapidly changed colors and patterns. Frisk shuffled her feet. Finally, the colors stopped changing. A giant pink line of tiles moving from Frisk to the skeletons cut through the middle. Red flanked it on both sides.

Papyrus stared at the puzzle for a few seconds before snarling rapid swears under his breath at the obviously broken tile maze. The infuriated skeleton stormed away from the puzzle. Sans looked at him and then the machine and then to Frisk, who had already crossed the puzzle. Sans huffed, “you’re lucky dr. alphys rigged it.” With that, the shorter skeleton followed Papyrus.

Frisk looked at the machine. It was off. Flowey looked back at the puzzle. “Yeah. Lucky. What terrible thing made by the Great Papyrus is up next?”

Frisk shrugged and continued. This strip of land was completely clear of trees. A sentry station-dog house hybrid stood at the center-top of the square place. Long piles of snow reached up toward the sky and curled or broke. Near the bottom-right corner was a golden sparkle. An antlered monster looked around the place.

When they got within a few feet of the antlered monster, it huffed, “A dog just rushed in here with an excitement I haven’t seen in a guard dog in a long time. It kept trying to build the perfect snow dog. But as it worked, it grew excited. The more excited it was, the farther its neck grew. It was pretty sad, but I just couldn’t look away. I don’t know if they’re even allowed to play in the snow. Wasn’t it supposed to be on guard?”

Frisk turned and walked down to the bottom of the area. _“Knowing that the dog will never stop trying to build the perfect snow dog fills you with determination.”_

Flowey craned his neck-stem and looked ahead. “Uh-oh. I really don’t like this puzzle.”

Frisk tipped her head and continued. A very large patch of ice was between them and the next area. There were multiple spots within the ice that was snowy and had X’s on them. A button was at the very end of the patch of ice. There was no bridge between it and the snow in the next area.

Frisk sighed and began working on the puzzle. They failed quite a few times. There were many green triangles. Frisk often slid off the puzzle and fell onto a puff of snow. In the center of the small area was a great statue of Papyrus made of snow. A lump of snow with the name “Sans” written in red marker sat beside it. Flowey smirked. “That is completely them.”

Once the puzzle had been completed, they found that the next area was quite interesting. Eight snow poffs littered the ground. One snow poff was in the center of the snowy bridge between that area and the next. A small dog house was at the top-center. “Oh! How cute! I wonder if there’s another dog nearby,” Frisk thought aloud.

Flowey looked around. “I don’t know, and I hope we don’t find out. We should move quickly.”

Frisk nodded. “Okay, okay. I hope it’s friendly. I love dogs.”

“I could tell,” Flowey agreed. “But these guys aren’t like dogs on the surface. You should remember that!”

“I know. But… some of them seemed happy. They were just hurt.”

Flowey sighed. “Yeah. But… they’re still guard dogs. Remember the monster mentality? All monsters know that phrase and hold it close.”

Frisk pouted but continued, anyway. “I’ll find a way to free everyone and put an end to this meanness.”

When they approached the snow poff on the trail, a tail popped out the back. They stopped. A small dog head popped out of the snow and barked. Before Frisk could coo at it, as it was very small and cute, the snow fell away. The dog stood up. It had a small dog head, but it was in a giant suit of armor–at least thrice the size of Frisk. His giant spear reached from the ground to his head.

_“Greater Dog–Attack 15, Defense 8. HP 105. This dog thinks that fighting is just play.”_

The large guard dog barked happily. Frisk yelped and dodged the blurred white attacks sent at them. When the dog stopped barking, he stared at Frisk intensely.

“Um…” Frisk hesitated and pulled out her stick. The dog’s eyes grew round and he barked again. The young human launched the stick as far as she could. The dog chased the stick. They played for a short while before the dog grew tired. Frisk dodged another few bark-borne attacks. “Come here, boy!” Greater Dog obeyed in an instant. Frisk laughed and patted his chest. The dog collapsed onto Frisk, sighing happily as she pet him. The dog even began to doze off. However, it caught itself sleeping and jumped up. Frisk jumped back as the dog barked again. This time, Frisk made a snowball and threw it.

As Greater Dog rushed after it, Flowey inquired, “Why are we playing? We should go while he’s distracted!”

“But he wants to play,” Frisk complained. Greater Dog brought back a whole pile of snow and dropped it in front of them. Excited, the dog waved his spear at them. It glowed red and phased through Frisk. Frisk, once they’d gotten back on their feet, petted him again. Greater Dog dropped his spear and rolled onto the ground. His legs hung in the air and his tongue lolled.

Frisk giggled and rubbed his neck before getting up. The dog whined for a bit as they left. “I’m sorry, but I’ve got to go, now! See you later!”

Frisk continued through their trail. Almost as soon as they left that area, they found a yellow sparkle on a small island. _“Knowing that you played fetch with Greater Dog for the first time in years, it fills you with determination.”_

This time, the gap between their piece of land and the next wasn’t so small. It was so large that Frisk couldn’t even see the end of the brown blur as it blended into the white background. “What’s on the other side?”

“Um… oh great. The skeletons.” Flowey sighed. “Well, we’ll run into them soon, anyway. Let’s make it quick and hope it’s another failed puzzle.”

Frisk gripped the sides of the bridge and walked. It was surprisingly sturdy. It didn’t once shift or shutter. Once she got within a few yards of the end, Papyrus’ voice stopped her. “HUMAN! THIS IS YOUR FINAL AND MOST DEADLY CHALLENGE! BEHOLD! THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!” Papyrus took out a remote with a large, red button on it.

From the sky, a large mace on a chain, a giant spear, and a large dog tied to a rope hung over the bridge. The dog waved its legs and shook its head. A spiked collar dressed its neck. Under the bridge, a spear, a flamethrower, and a canon were ready to fire. Frisk’s and Flowey’s eyes grew round in shock and fear.

Papyrus continued, “AS SOON AS I PRESS THIS BUTTON, IT WILL FULLY ACTIVATE! CANONS WILL FIRE! SPIKES WILL SWING! BLADES WILL SLICE! EACH PART WILL SWING VIOLENTLY UP AND DOWN. THE CHANCE OF VICTORY IS QUITE SLIM! ARE YOU READY, HUMAN? BECAUSE I’M GOING TO ACTIVATE IT RIGHT… NOW!”

At first, nothing happened. Then, the fire from the flamethrower beneath them flared. The rope handrails on either side of them crackled. With a shriek of terror, Frisk raced forward to escape the flames. Chara phased into her body and caused her to drop. The mace above her swung harmlessly by. Yet, at the same time, the spear beneath her shot up and– _shirk. Chink!_

 

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

Frisk gasped and grasped her chest in her hand. She could still feel the spear tearing through her chest. “Wh-what…?”

Flowey looked around. “Oh no. Oh, that’s bad. That is _very_ bad. How are we going to dodge that?!”

“W-we’ll have to try,” Frisk stated. “We… maybe we’ll be able to memorize the pattern. There is a way to get through after all. Papyrus wouldn’t make a puzzle impossible.”

“I hate the sound of that,” Flowey groaned. “But let’s not dawdle. I’ll memorize it. Don’t worry.”

“Okay.” Frisk forced her shaky feet to hit the wobbly wooden bridge. Eventually, as she walked, she began to distinguish black from red from white from brown.

“HUMAN! THIS IS YOUR FINAL AND MOST DEADLY CHALLENGE! BEHOLD! THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!” Papyrus took out a remote with a large, red button on it.

The traps appeared again. Flowey looked over them and the bridge, mumbling quietly to himself. Frisk stayed “staring” at Papyrus.

Papyrus continued, “AS SOON AS I PRESS THIS BUTTON, IT WILL FULLY ACTIVATE! CANONS WILL FIRE! SPIKES WILL SWING! BLADES WILL SLICE! EACH PART WILL SWING VIOLENTLY UP AND DOWN. THE CHANCE OF VICTORY IS QUITE SLIM! ARE YOU READY, HUMAN? BECAUSE I’M GOING TO ACTIVATE IT RIGHT… NOW!”

Fire blazed beneath her. Frisk’s eyes glimmered scarlet. She skittered away from the breath of hot air from the fire. After ducking under the mace, she rolled out of the way of the spear. The weapon shattered the part of the bridge in which she had just been on. Oddly, stone pieces burst from the impact rather than wood. Unfortunately, she forgot to account for the second spear. The ground beneath her was cracked along with her soul as the spear struck from above. _Shirk. Chink!_

 

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

Frisk, Flowey, and Chara appeared by the save point again. Frisk grumbled unhappily and forced herself to walk down the bridge. The metal slice of the spear still ached in her chest. The next time it was activated, she managed to dodge the spears. However, the dog bit down on her neck and threw her off balance. The young human and flower dropped into the abyss. _Shirk. Chink!_

 

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

Once Frisk was able to get back into the bridge, she managed to get passed the mace and fire and the first spear. She stumbled and fell prey to the second spear. _Shirk. Chink!_

 

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

“HUMAN! THIS IS YOUR FINAL AND MOST DEADLY CHALLENGE! BEHOLD! THE GAUNTLET OF DEADLY TERROR!” Papyrus, for the twentieth time, took out a remote with a large, red button on it. Papyrus rambled on in his speech before pressing the button.

Chara phased into Frisk and bounced away from the fire. She ducked and jumped away from the mace and landed in a roll as to avoid both spears. She leaned out of the way of the dog whose teeth snapped the air near her nose. The cannon below shattered the bridge. Chara jumped over the gap made by the cannon and skittered onto the snow on the other side. Chara let go of Frisk and stood next to her.

Frisk, wheezing, clambered to her feet and shut her eyes. Flowey looked up at the skeletons. “Now: Finished. Easy.”

“WELL!” Papyrus lowered the remote and stood up straight. “IT SEEMS THAT YOU HAVE INDEED SUCCESSFULLY COMPLETED THIS PUZZLE!” Papyrus waved his hand and put away the remote. The weapons, and dog, retraced back to their original places. “GOOD! THAT JUST MEANS THAT YOU HAVE ONLY ONE CHALLENGE LEFT, HUMAN. MEET ME JUST OUTSIDE OF SNOWDIN AND WE WILL SEE HOW STRONG YOU REALLY ARE! PREPARE YOURSELF ACCORDINGLY! NYEH-HEH-HEH!” Papyrus laughed and rushed away from the bridge.

Flowey shook his head. “Well, that was… Frisk? Are you okay?”

Frisk blinked and bit her tongue. “We’re going to have to… _fight_ him?”

“Yeah, I guess,” Flowey sighed. Frisk continued moving. “But we’ll definitely be ready.”

Sans called, “hey, kid. i’ve got some advice for you about fighting my brother.”

Frisk turned around. “Really?”

Sans’s eyes darkened, though the lights didn’t go out completely. “don’t. capiche?”

“Ah, well, I wasn’t planning to!” Frisk reassured him.

Flowey hissed and then turned around. “Just keep moving.”

Frisk nodded and started walking again.

Ahead of them, breaking through the trees to create a large clearing, was a friendly looking town. A giant sign on the trail to the town read “SNOWDIN TOWN.” The first building was large. It was split in two. The left side of it was a shop and the right side of it was an inn. A yellow sparkle hovered between the door and an interdimensional box.

Frisk perked up and touched the yellow glimmer. _“Seeing such a small town in the middle of a snowy forest fills you with determination.”_ Her pain left her.

 Flowey looked around. “I don’t like the look of this place.”

“What do you mean?” Frisk asked. A house stood between some trees next to the Inn. Near that was a large, bustling building called “Grillby’s.” Farther down the compact, snowy ground another trail branched out. On the other side of that was a library which flanked a large wooden house and a smaller shed. A large conifer tree dominated the middle of the road near the inn.

Flowey huffed, “There’s no one outside!”

“Maybe it’s time for school,” Frisk offered.

“The day’s almost over,” Flowey pointed out. “Look, these monsters are rough. You don’t want to mess with them. If someone catches us walking here, they might just attack us!”

Frisk’s blurry gaze fell on the shop. “Well then… let’s go inside for a little bit.”

Flowey sighed. “If you want.”

Frisk opened the door to the shop and stepped in. A blast of heat rolled over them. She sighed happily as the heat of the shop began to chase away the nipping cold she felt. The walls were very well decorated. Food decorated the counter that the bunny was behind. A lonely bandana and gloves were beside the pastries.

“Oh! Are you the one who put the Cinnabunnies outside?” Frisk inquired upon smelling the sweet smell of cinnamon buns.

The bunny perked up. “Why yes, I did! Are you looking to buy a few? Just 25g. Bicycles are 12g.”

Frisk bit her tongue and nodded. “Okay. Here! One of each, please!”

Flowey hissed. “What are you doing?”

“You said that food healed you,” Frisk pointed out. “Plus, she at least deserves to get something out of her generosity, right?”

The bunny hesitated as she handed the roll to her. “What do you mean?”

“I mean, you put those out for people to eat!”

“I was just advertising.” The bunny waved her hand dismissively and took the coins.

“Well, then it’s good advertising.” Frisk chuckled and put the cinnabunny and bicycle in their bag. “So, how are you doing?”

“How am I doing?” the bunny echoed. “Er…”

Frisk gave her an encouraging smile. “How about this: how’s business?”

“Business is well… people are buying my food.” The bunny shrugged and narrowed her eyes. “Why?”

“I just want to be friendly is all,” Frisk answered with a shrug. “It helps a lot!”

“…” The bunny stared at them. No emotion showed.

“Um… I’m doing well,” Frisk offered. “I’m going to rest up a little bit. Then I’m going to meet Papyrus outside of town! What are you going to be up to today?”

“Papyrus?” the bunny gasped. Her ears flicked back. “Is he following you around here?” Her eyes darted to the door.

Frisk shook her head. “No, no! It’s nothing like that! I’m going to the capital. But I have to talk to him about it, first, I guess.”

“Talk to…? Oh.” She relaxed and flicked an ear. “Okay. Well, my sister has an inn that you can sleep in if you want. The library’s open to all. And, uh, Grillby’s has some nice food. It’s greasy, and nowhere near my shop’s level, but it’s okay. Have you been there at all?”

Frisk shook their head. “Nope. This is the first place I’ve been to. Well, thanks for being nice! It’s getting late, so I think I should be going to bed. Have a nice day!” Frisk waved and strode out of the shop. They could barely hear the bunny mutter a “Poor kid” before shuffling through her cabinet.

Frisk, with Flowey’s aid, walked around the chest and into the next door. A rather tall pinkish bunny was behind a counter, talking to a smaller white bunny. “…don’t play with that bell again, young man! That’s for customers to use!”

“Sorry, Ma.”

“You–oh! Hello!” The bunny straightened and turned to look at Frisk as they walked in.

“Hello!” Frisk greeted. “Your sister said that this was a nice place to stay.”

“Did she? Well, it _is_ the best place you’ll find on this side of the Underground. It’s eighty g to stay here.” She shuffled through her books. “But unfortunately… we’re full. Come back tomorrow and we might have a room open!”

Frisk hesitated. “Oh. Um… okay. Well, it’s good to see business going well or something. Bye!”

Frisk half-hoped the bunny would stop them as they left, but she did not. Frisk sighed. “I guess we’ll have to face him like we are.”

Flowey groaned and let his head fall forward. “That’s not a good idea. I’d say we could sleep behind one of the buildings or something, but we’d _definitely_ get ambushed. Oh well.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "AND PLAID TILES..."
> 
> I bet you thought that the bridge would fail. Well, it didn't! Ha ha ha! Also, in the game, Papyrus says that the bridge was just a natural bridge made of stone, but he painted it to look like a wooden bridge because it would look more dramatic. And he was right, wasn't he? It does look cooler!
> 
> Anyway, with the last of the puzzles behind, it seems an even larger challenge blocks their way out of Snowdin.


	9. Cozy

Frisk walked out of the shop and through the town. She stopped before the great conifer tree. “Whoa!” she breathed. “This tree is so big and fluffy! It’s like the Christmas trees my family used to get for Christmas!”

“Christmas?” Flowey prompted. “Is that a human holiday?”

Frisk raised her eyebrows. “ _What?_ You’ve never had Christmas before?”

Flowey hesitated. “I… I remember… I think I heard the name somewhere.”

Chara looked up at the tree. _“Ask him about New Year’s instead.”_

 “Oh. What about New Year’s?” Frisk prompted.

Flowey perked up. “New Year’s? Oh, yeah. That’s the most major holiday in the Underground. Is Christmas like that?”

Frisk shook their head. “No. But they’re super close together. What’s the New Year like here?”

“Well, everyone gets together with family,” Flowey replied. “They bring gifts and often stay home for the entire day of the holiday and sometimes the day prior. It’s a… fun holiday. One of the few days the Underground ever sees anything happy without killing something.”

“Oh, that sounds beautiful. Christmas is a lot like that. People get together and decorate the house. They buy a big tree like this and decorate it as well. Then we get gifts for each other. It’s one of the happiest days of the year to most people where I live,” Frisk explained. “The New Year isn’t as special. Everyone gets together to celebrate the New Year. Traditionally, everyone stays up until midnight. On the final minute of the last day of the year, everyone counts down the seconds until the new year. Then we make a promise. We have to promise to do something that year. That’s a New Year’s Resolution. Do you guys do stuff like that?”

“Most people stay up until midnight to count down until the New Year. But it sounds more like your Christmas than anything else. Anyway, why are we standing here? I think we should get moving.”

“Oh, right. We can talk later.”

As she walked, they found that some people _were_ outside. They were just behind or beside buildings so that Frisk and Flowey couldn’t see them from the entrance to the town.

Frisk stopped beside the burger joint known as “Grillby’s.” “Ooh… it feels pretty warm.” Frisk put her hand on the door. Heat radiated out of the place.

Flowey glared at the door. “I don’t know. There’s going to be plenty of monsters here…”

“Well then… all the more reason to go!” Frisk purred. “People are always friendlier after eating.”

“Frisk, this is a pretty rough place.”

“Well… if this gets bad… we can just leave, right?”

Flowey narrowed his eyes. “I don’t trust this place in the least. But…” He shuttered and retreated deeper into her coat. “Just long enough to warm up.”

Frisk smiled and walked inside. The spacious room was made smaller as many bodies filled the room. The two hooded dogs sat beside each other at the table. Although they ate peacefully, they’d shoot glares at each other on occasion. Greater Dog sat beside Lesser Dog, who barked happily. Ketchup ran down Lesser Dog’s snout as he currently ate a hamburger. Greater Dog nearly swallowed Lesser Dog’s entire plate of fries whole. Between Greater Dog and Dogeressa, Doggo ate a hamburger. As he couldn’t see it without moving, he had to sniff it out in order to eat it. That led to some ketchup, mayonnaise, and grease dirtying his muzzle.

Upon hearing the door open and seeing _Frisk_ there, monsters started tapering off their conversations and glared at her. Flowey glared and bared his fangs at them, silently hissing and glaring with wide black eyes with white pupils. Frisk, completely oblivious to their glares, tentatively approached Dogamy. He sniffed the air but didn’t turn toward her. “Beat it, kid.”

Dogeressa glowered at Dogamy and turned to her. She asked in a sweet, fake voice, “What do you want, kid?” Dogamy rolled his eyes but didn’t retaliate.

“You’re sentries, right?” Frisk inquired.

“Yes, we certainly are.”

“So, you get to go on patrols and stuff?” Excitement returned to Frisk’s voice.

Dogeressa shook her head. “No. We’re stuck in that same place all day. The only people allowed to roam around is, well, Papyrus. He doesn’t run the Royal Guard, but he pretends to. The actual leader of the Royal Guard, Captain Undyne? She’s no one to mess with, either. She’s the real one in charge. I wish that d–skeleton would realize that. But of course, no one here’s tough enough to defy him. I’ve seen him in action. He’s… not an equal opponent for anyone. Not even my husband and I together.”

“So, you don’t like them?” Frisk inquired.

“No one likes those two,” Dogeressa huffed, quickly losing her “good mood.” “At least Sans is tolerable. And… alright, so he has a good sense of humor. Wouldn’t say I hated that one of the duo more than the other. He’s weaker than my husband’s ax handle and is a snarky little shit, but at least he knows not to talk big like his brother. Papyrus won’t let anyone touch him so he’s basically invincible and he knows it. He seems more interested in pranking than asserting himself, though.”

Doggo huffed, “Tolerable? He’s more annoying than Lesser Dog!”

Dogamy ignored Doggo and snickered, “Yeah. Watching them is a blast, though. That little skeleton follows him around like a shadow. If it wasn’t for his snarky attitude, I’d think that he was more obedient and easier to roll over than Lesser Dog, too. Speaking of which…” Dogamy turned to the two playful dogs. They barked at each other and wagged their tails. “Shut it! If you’re not eating, go outside!” The two immediately stopped and started to whine, round eyes on Dogamy.

Doggo barked, “Ugh! The whining! I rather like them yapping than whining, Dogamy.”

“I like neither,” Dogamy growled.

Dogeressa turned to the two whimpering dogs. “Go ahead and get another round–on us.”

“What?” Dogamy hissed.

“It’ll shut them up.” Dogeressa shrugged and went back to their meal. Immediately, the two dogs rushed to the counter. A fish and duck leaning on the counter shuffled to the side to allow the two dogs room. The purple fire monster behind the counter set down his rag and cup and vanished through a wall. He came back with another two servings of burger and fries. The swaying horse on the other end of the counter raised his cup to the two dogs and took another drink. The dogs rushed back to their place.

Dogamy bared his teeth. “That’s _our_ money, Soft heart!”

Dogeressa turned on him with such speed he nearly jumped back. “What did you just call me?”

Dogamy’s ears lay flat against his head. He leaned away from her and pointed his muzzle away. However, her breath still breathed over his muzzle. Dogamy growled in a low voice, “Soft heart. You go way too soft on those–ALP!” Dogamy yelped as Dogeressa snapped down on his muzzle. She ended up throwing him to the ground. Their axes clattered to the wooden floor. She concentrated all of her weight onto her husband so that she could tear him apart. Although he kicked and hit her and attempted to bite, his struggles were weak. It was as if he couldn’t physically hurt her.

Frisk glanced at the bar. Grillbz, sighing, brought out a shotgun with a glowing muzzle from under the counter. The rest of dogs backed away. The entire bar was now concentrated on them.

Frisk took their empty plates and slammed them together as hard as she could above the quarreling dogs. The married canines, shocked, paused their fighting. Frisk took off her coat, which caused Flowey to hit the ground under her, and held it between the quarreling dogs so that instead of seeing each other, they only saw red and maroon stripes. The plates clanged against the table. Frisk got between the once quarreling couple. “Stop.” Her voice took a hard command. The Dogi didn’t make a move against her. “I’m going to back away. You will _not_ continue your fight. Understand?” The couple didn’t move. Frisk took a few steps back. If they had the will, the dogs could attack each other again. Yet they did not. They stayed watching Frisk with wide eyes and open mouths.

Frisk took a deep breath and put on her coat again. Her voice did not waver from the command she’d taken on. “Is this how you treat each other? All I’ve ever heard here is that people _kill_ each other. It’s hard, isn’t it? Living in a world where you don’t have friendly neighbors? Where you clock in and know that you’ll be attacked? If you don’t do your job correctly, you’ll be badly punished? Yet you’ve just mauled your husband, Dogeressa! He’s badly hurt. Not to mention you attacked her, Dogamy. Where I come from, couples do everything in their power to make sure their loved one _doesn’t_ get hurt. I don’t want to hear any excuses. You’re both in the wrong. Now I want you two to get back to your business. You two will not even bare your teeth at each other. Understand?”

Dogamy, snout tipped down so that his teeth didn’t accidentally show, prompted, “And what do you think you’ll do, Pup?”

Frisk bristled and took a step toward him. Dogamy shuffled back and whimpered. “I told you so, that’s why! And it’s the right thing to do. Now you both know as well as I that I would never hurt you.” Her voice softened, and she got out of her aggressive stance. She picked up Flowey and zipped up her coat again. “I do think the both of you deserve mercy. But your fighting is out of control. By your scars, this isn’t the first time it’s happened. But this will be the last, okay?” Frisk held out a hand. Dogamy recoiled. “Come on. Take my hand. I won’t hurt you.” The dog shut his mouth tight and flattened his ears. However, he still took her hand and accepted her aid in getting up. Frisk let go and turned to Dogeressa. She accepted her help, too.

“I’m not going to hurt either of you. I absolutely refuse to do so. You two do have the ability to be kind. I know that you two love each other. So, this is going to be the last time you two ever get in a fight like this, okay? I won’t have to intervene again. Those wounds look nasty. I don’t know how to heal. But I am good at helping people. So, if you need any help, just ask, okay? I’ll be glad to do so.”

Dogamy’s mechanical voice piped up, “Err, yes, Frisk.”

Dogeressa gave her a pained smile. “Yes, Puppy. You are quite kind. I will pay forward your kindness. You need only call for our help and we will be there. We’re not good at diplomacy, but we’re good at kicking tail.”

Frisk giggled. “Thank you! Hopefully, no one will need to get hurt, but it’s always great having new friends! Good-bye!”

She waved to the dogs and bounded outside. Flowey bundled up deeper into Frisk’s jacket as the cold smacked the two in the face.

Flowey looked up at her. “Frisk?”

Frisk stopped. “Yes, Flowey?”

“What was that? I’ve never seen you act like that before.”

“Huh? Telling them to stop fighting? Oh! Well, my sister taught me that. We had dogs at our house. Sometimes, dogs will fight. I didn’t mean to come off as aggressive, just assertive. I didn’t want to hurt them. I just want them to know what they did was wrong and hope that they don’t do it again.”

Flowey nodded. “But you… I didn’t know you could talk like that. You’re always so… enthusiastic or quiet. Aside from….”

Frisk chuckled, her voice a bit quick, “Yeah! Well, sometimes, you just need to give people a bit of… tough love!”

Farther down the road, she passed the library and then the large wooden house. Flowey looked up at it. “Well, it’s the biggest house on this street. There’s a creepy shed beside it. And this house gives me bad vibes. So, it probably belongs to someone, or some people, who we don’t like. For example: Papyrus and Sans.”

Frisk nodded. “Maybe. But… um…” A snowstorm had picked up farther down the road. Although a heavy wind carrying snowflakes swept through the town, the snow in the road out of the city was thicker.

“Go find a save point again,” Flowey advised. “Then… well… this is something we have to do.”

“Maybe I can reason with him,” Frisk offered, turned, and walked back to the save point. “I mean, he was happy with the way I solved his puzzles, right? Maybe I can convince him to… um… not fight…?”

Flowey shook his head. “I want to believe you. But… but I don’t. Frisk, this guy is very dangerous. Everyone’s afraid of him! If we’re not careful, we could get killed! Or worse!”

“I know.” Frisk touched the yellow sparkle. No commentary came in response. “I just… don’t like this.”

“I don’t either,” Flowey reassured her. “But we can get through this. If we believe in ourselves… and if you can run really fast…” Flowey shook his head. “This isn’t going to go well.”

“Don’t say that. M-maybe it will! You don’t know,” Frisk mumbled.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> _"The Dogi's minds have been expanded."_
> 
>  
> 
>  
> 
> So, if anyone read the original version of this ("Fallen Under") and had also followed me on Deviantart, you might remember a certain [Deleted Scene from Snowdin](http://fav.me/daur9vb) that I'd written after the fact. I was tempted to put it here, but... well... you'll find out one of the multiple reasons why I didn't in the following chapters.
> 
> Anyway, that's an actual real-life technique Frisk used to separate the Dogi. Never get in the middle; even dogs that love you won't recognize you in the heat of battle. So you might get bitten--or worse! Loud noises and obstructing their view can help break up a fight. But, I'd recommend you research more yourself because I'm bad at explaining things.


	10. Fight Me!

The wind picked up as they got farther down the trail. Eventually, they weren’t even able to see the trees that flanked them despite just being a few yards away.

Then, she stopped as she nearly ran into the skeleton in which they were to meet. Papyrus watched her. “HUMAN. YOU HAVE COMPLETED ALL OF MY PUZZLES AND HAVE GOTTEN THIS FAR. BUT YOU WILL GO NO FARTHER. I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, WILL STOP YOU. THEN I SHALL BECOME THE TRUE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD!”

Frisk gasped and staggered back. The wind slowed around them, and the snow fell. Papyrus was very clearly in front of her. There was no snow that could say otherwise as nothing disturbed the crystal-clear air. Frisk’s soul appeared before her chest. Papyrus blocks the way!

_“Papyrus–Attack 30, Defense 30. HP 1020. Prepared to be the new Captain of the Royal Guard.”_

“NYEH-HEH-HEH! HUMAN! MAKE YOUR FIRST MOVE!” Papyrus invited.

_“Frisk–Attack 5, Defense 3. HP 20. Blind. Determined to SAVE monsters.”_

Frisk stood up straight. “I will not fight you!”

 “SO, YOU WON’T FIGHT ME? WHY AM I NOT SURPRISED? WELL THEN, CAN YOU HANDLE MY FABLED BLUE ATTACK?” Papyrus crowed.

_“Flowey–Attack 10, Defense 10. HP 40. Remembers everything.”_

Flowey looked between them. “What blue attack?”

“WHY WOULD I TELL YOU WHEN I CAN OBVIOUSLY SHOW YOU?” Papyrus cackled and waved his hands in a grand manner. Scarlet bones poked out of the ground and appeared in the air. Frisk stood still. The red bones phased through them. After about a dozen failed attacks, the bones stopped.

Flowey opened his eyes. “What the–?”

Papyrus snapped his fingers. Frisk yelped and fell. Her soul shimmered a deep blue. Quite suddenly, a feeling of cold rushed through her chest instead of the comfortable heat she knew so well. She felt heavier. A small white bone popped out of the ground and raced at her.

“J-jump!” Flowey yelped. Frisk followed his order. Unfortunately, she couldn’t jump as high as she thought and fell just past the bone. The attack was so close it grazed her shoes.

Papyrus smirked. “YOU’RE BLUE NOW! THAT’S MY ATTACK! NYEH-HEH-HEH!”

“This is insane,” Flowey wheezed. “What are we going to do?”

Frisk stood up straight. “The only thing we can do.” She spoke up, “I’m not going to fight you, Papyrus! I refuse!”

“LET’S SEE HOW LONG THAT LASTS, HUMAN.” Papyrus waved his hand. Bones sprouted from the ground and raced at her. Frisk jumped and staggered and waved her arms to keep balance. The bones were quite tall, so it was very hard attempting to jump over them. Flowey smacked one of the bones with his vines and shuttered. The attack dissipated.

“Don’t hurt yourself, Flowey!” Frisk gasped. “It’s okay! I can do this!”

“This is way too dangerous, Frisk,” Flowey denied. “We can’t fight him.”

“I know,” Frisk agreed. “So, I won’t fight him.” She raised her voice again. “Papyrus! It feels like your life, just like the lives of so many others, is going down a dark path. But you don’t have to walk it!”

“IF THIS IS YOUR ATTEMPT AT SWAYING ME, IT’S QUITE COMICAL,” Papyrus sneered. Again, bones attacked her. This time, she leaped into the air as well. Frisk had to jump as well as duck. In fact, one time, she leaped and then tumbled to the ground in an attempt to dodge it. Unfortunately, this left them open to another bone. Her soul shuttered and a crack formed.

Frisk stood up straight. “I’m not joking. Everyone can be a good person if they tried!”

“Frisk what are you doing?” Flowey hissed.

Papyrus narrowed his eyes. “YOUR ATTEMPTS AT ‘MERCY’ ARE PITIFUL, HUMAN.” This time, two bones, one in the air and one in the ground, came quite close to each other. Frisk jumped between them like a hoop and flatten herself to the ground to keep from getting hit. She staggered to her feet. A smaller bone rushed up behind her. Frisk, taken completely by surprise, was thrown onto her belly. Her soul cracked further.

The young human got up and put a hand to her head. The hard fall caused her head to hurt and mind to go dizzy. Now she could hardly process what little her eyes gave her. “I-I know that you don’t believe me. That you think this is how it is. But I believe in you, Papyrus! I know that you could be a great person if you just tried!”

Papyrus smirked. “I’M THE GREAT PAPYRUS! OF COURSE, I CAN BE GREAT AT ANYTHING–ANYTHING BUT FALLING FOR YOUR DUMB CHARADE.” This time, the bones that formed hoops came in doubles so they were hard to jump over consistently. The attacks came from both sides. One from the left, one from the right. Then, two hoops approached at the same time–one from the left, one from the right. Frisk jumped straight up. Before she could catch her balance, a red bone sailed toward her. Flowey smacked it with his vine to dissipate it. The flower groaned and lowered his head.

“Flowey! …no. You can’t help me any longer.” Frisk set Flowey down on the ground near the trees and raced back to her position.

“Frisk…” Flowey muttered but could do nothing else.

“It’s not a charade, Papyrus. You can attack me all you want, but I hope you know that I will _never_ stop believing in you, Papyrus. There is a glimmer of a good person inside of you. I can feel it!”

“YOU ARE DOING YOURSELF NO JUSTICE, HUMAN!” Papyrus barked. “FIGHT ME OR DIE WITHOUT EVEN TRYING!” Even with Chara’s aid, this barrage of bones was one that Frisk couldn’t dodge very well. Although she attempted to run from place to place, it was as if he could predict her every moment. Finally, Frisk was able to jump what she thought was the last bone.

“Frisk!” Flowey yelped.

 _THUNK!_ Frisk shuttered and fell to one knee as a bone struck her upside the head.

Frisk stood up, grimacing in the pain in her head. Blood dribbled down her cheek. “I will not give up on you, Papyrus.”

“WHAT ARE YOU TRYING TO ACCOMPLISH, HUMAN?” Papyrus snapped. “YOUR TALK DOES YOU NO GOOD!”

“It’s not talk, Papyrus,” the young human stated in a shaky, slurry voice. “I swear that I will never hurt you or your brother. Ever.”

Something flickered in Papyrus’ gaze upon hearing her say “brother.” His stance loosened in the slightest. He quickly shook himself. However, he couldn’t shake away the doubt that now appeared in his words, “YOU CAN’T SAY THAT, HUMAN. ALL YOU WILL FIND HERE IS DEATH! IF YOU FIND A WAY PAST ME, YOU WILL DIE, ANYWAY!”

“I won’t.” Frisk stood up straight. It took all her strength to stay on her feet. “I refuse.”

Papyrus’ snarl faded a bit in the wake a smirk. “THAT’S WHAT I’M TALKING ABOUT, HUMAN! SHOW SOME BACKBONE! YOU’LL NEVER WIN A BATTLE OTHERWISE!”

Neither Frisk nor Flowey could take a moment to think on Papyrus’ words before he fought again. He fought with valor and strength and skill but, as Frisk continued to dodge and occasionally heal, his frustration mounted and his energy slackened.

Finally, Papyrus sent one last attack at them. A bone, slow moving, approached them. Frisk hopped over it. Her soul turned red and floated before her. The feeling of cold in her chest dissipated.

“WELL…” Papyrus huffed. “IT SEEMS–” _puff_ “–YOU CAN’T–” _huff_ “–DEFEAT ME!” _puff_ “YES! I SEE YOU SHAKING IN YOUR BOOTS!” Papyrus straightened himself up and put a hand to his chest. “THE GREAT PAPYRUS WOULD NEVER STOOP SO LOW AS TO KILL OR CAPTURE A TARGET AS SCARED AND WEAK AS YOU. THEREFORE, I ELECT TO GRANT YOU MERCY! ACCEPT MY PITY, HUMAN.”

Chara piped up, _“Papyrus is sparing you.”_

Frisk stood up straight as well and controlled her breath. “I accept your mercy, Papyrus.”

Papyrus sighed and slumped his shoulders. He put a hand to his sweat-dampened face and shook his head. “NYOO-HOO-HOO. I COULDN’T EVEN DEFEAT SOMEONE AS WEAK AS YOU. CAPTAIN UNDYNE WILL BE DISAPPOINTED IN ME, NOT TO MENTION THE KING. BECOMING THE CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD MIGHT TAKE LONGER THAN I ANTICIPATED.”

Frisk picked up Flowey. “W-well, you’re pretty tough, Papyrus! You’re great at fighting and puzzles. I’m sure if you put your mind to it, you’ll be great at making friends, too! All you have to do is believe in yourself and I’m sure you will accomplish your dreams.” She grinned.

Papyrus gave her a sharp nod. “HUMAN! YOU’RE A POOR FIGHTER, BUT YOU HAVE INNER STRENGTH! THE WAY YOU’VE BEEN COMPLETING MY PUZZLES WITH INTELLIGENCE AND GRACE. THE WAY YOU FOUGHT ME AND PROVED YOURSELF. OBVIOUSLY, THE WAY YOU SPOKE ABOUT ME. I SHOULD HAVE KNOWN IT FROM THE BEGINNING.”

Frisk couldn’t help but grin. Was Papyrus really…?

“I ACCEPT! WE SHALL GO ON A DATE AT ONCE!” Papyrus crowed with a flourish of his cape.

Frisk started to speak and then choked on her words. _Date? What? Like, date-date? Like when Cammie went to town alone with someone for a really long time?_

 _“Yes,”_ Chara stated. _“…probably.”_

Thankfully, Flowey had a voice. “A _date?_ With Frisk? What?”

“YES! DID YOU NOT HEAR ME? COME! I KNOW THE PERFECT PLACE!” Papyrus walked off, head in the air. Frisk followed soundlessly behind. What was she supposed to feel? She’d never gone on a date before. What was she supposed to do?

Papyrus stopped by the large house at the edge of Snowdin with a flourish of his cape and a great smirk on his features. “HERE WE ARE! MY HOME! I KNOW YOU HAVE ADMIRED IT FROM AFAR, BUT NOW I INVITE YOU INSIDE!” He looked to Flowey. “OF COURSE, I CANNOT BRING YOUR FLOWER FRIEND INSIDE! NOT ONLY COULD HE POTENTIALLY BREAK OR DEFILE SOMETHING OF MINE– _OR SANS’_ –BUT HE COULD DISRUPT OUR DATE!”

Flowey tipped his head with a rather condescending look. “Yeah? And how are you going to do that? I’m her seeing eye flower! Right, Frisk? …Frisk?”

Frisk shook herself out of her shock. _What was she supposed to say?!_ “Uh-uhm! Well, I mean…”

“SEE?” Papyrus huffed. “SHE AGREES WITH ME! BUT I UNDERSTAND THAT YOUR FRIENDSHIP WITH FRISK HAS MADE IT HARD FOR YOU TO BE ALONE. SINCE YOU ARE A FRIEND OF FRISK’S, IT WOULD BE BARBARIC OF ME TO LEAVE YOU ALONE. THEREFORE: _SANS!_ _”_

Flowey stared at him. “No.”

Sans strolled around from beside the house, hands in his pockets. “yeah, boss?”

“TAKE THIS FLOWER! HE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY FOR THE TIME BEING.”

“what?” Sans eyes grew round. “b-but that flower, eh, belongs to frisk! what do you mean i gotta take care of him?”

“I MEAN: HE IS YOUR RESPONSIBILITY! NOW TAKE CARE OF HIM. DO NOT LET HIM GET INJURED OR COLD.” Papyrus waved his hand. “COME, HUMAN!” With that, he strode inside with a victorious smirk.

Frisk handed Flower over to Sans and walked up the steps. “It’s alright, Flowey! I’m sure you guys will get along–as long as both of you are nice.”

“Frisk–”

“boss–”

The skeleton and the flower watched as the door closed. Immediately, they turned on each other. Sans narrowed his eyes. “if you think you can boss me around, weed, you got another thing comin’.”

“Yeah? Didn’t the oh-great Papyrus tell you I wasn’t going to be hurt?” Flowey cooed with a cute wink. “Besides, Frisk told us both to be nice! We wouldn’t want to disappoint her, too!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "I'LL BE AT HOME BEING A COOL FRIEND!"
> 
> Sooo the battle _almost_ ended in capture. Like, it was really, really close to capture. Super close. You don't even know how close...
> 
> But, anyway, Frisk goes with the Great Papyrus on a date! Chara is just as confused as Frisk! Flowey and Sans are left alone with each other! What could possibly go wrong?


	11. Dating... Start!

The outside of the house wasn’t too colorful, but it was mighty and well decorated. The inside was just as well manicured. Two shades of red–one a sweet rose and the second a deep maroon–crossed over the floors in a rhythmic water pattern while the walls were a bit plainer burgundy. The couch, a bright scarlet, popped out from beside the door along with his purplish corner table and the longer violet table running along the wall connecting the front door to the kitchen archway.

“WELCOME TO MY HUMBLE ABODE!” Papyrus exclaimed. “FEEL FREE TO TAKE A LOOK AROUND!”

 _“I’m not good at looking around,”_ Frisk admitted.

 _“I am, though,”_ Chara stated. _“I’ll describe everything.”_

_“I need to tell him.”_

_“In a few minutes. Dates are supposed to start off really well with a bunch of grandeur, I think. Trust me. I’ve watched my human mother go on plenty of dates. I’m almost an expert on them myself.”_

“Cool!” Frisk smiled and wandered over to the table. It was a pretty shade of… color?

“MY LIVING ROOM TABLE!” Papyrus said. “WE USED TO HAVE MEALS THERE! UNTIL CAPTAIN UNDYNE VISITED. NOW WE HAVE MEALS IN LESS FLAMMABLE AREAS. SO, WE NORMALLY USE THAT TABLE FOR PAPERWORK. EXTREMELY WELL-DONE PAPERWORK!”

Frisk wandered over to the kitchen. Papyrus immediately followed. “AH, THE KITCHEN. TRULY THE MOST RESILIENT OF ROOMS! NEXT TO MY ROOM, OF COURSE.”

“Do you like to cook?” Frisk grinned.

“OF COURSE! COOKING IS A VALUABLE PART OF ANY DAY! HOMEMADE FOOD STRENGTHENS THE BODY MORE THAN ANY STORE-BOUGHT OR, UGH, _FAST_ FOOD. BESIDES, SANS ISN’T GOOD AT IT. AS USUAL, I HAVE TO MAKE UP FOR HIS LAZINESS.”

“That’s so cool!” Frisk gasped.

“UH-UH! OF COURSE IT IS!” Papyrus stammered. He coughed and quickly regained his posture. “I MEAN, OF COURSE IT IS! I AM A VERY, EH, COOL DUDE! I HAVE PREPARED MANY MEALS IN ADVANCE. GO AHEAD! PERUSE MY FOOD MUSEUM!”

 _“The fridge,”_ Chara stated. _“Hmm… normally my mother never let them into the fridge when on a date. He must really think you’re special!”_

 _“Really? Wow!”_ Frisk walked up to the fridge and opened it. Within were containers of various meals.

 _“For some reason, all of the containers are pasta. Most are spaghetti,”_ Chara described.

Frisk turned around. “Do you like spaghetti?”

“YES, INDEED I DO! HOW GOOD OF YOU TO NOTICE.”

Frisk followed him out of the checkboard-tile kitchen and back into the living room. She nearly ran into a TV flush with the wall. “Whoa! Uh… huh?”

“MY TV!” Papyrus claimed. “I DON’T OFTEN USE IT. BUT THERE IS ONE SHOW THAT IS INTERESTING TO WATCH IN MY OFF-DUTY HOURS. ANYWAY, IT SHOULDN’T BE ON RIGHT NOW.”

Frisk nodded. At the end of the room, next to Papyrus, Chara pointed out a pair of stairs. Thankfully, she didn’t trip, nor did she fall. She made it safely to the top of the stairs. A door was on either side of the hallway with a giant portrait of a bone hanging in the center.

“A CLASSIC IMAGE! IT REMINDS ME OF WHAT’S IMPORTANT IN LIFE,” Papyrus claimed.

Chara described it to Frisk, who ooh’ed. Frisk approached the door just above the stairs.

“THAT’S MY ROOM!” Papyrus claimed. “ARE YOU READY TO WHATEVER PEOPLE DO ON A DATE?”

Chara raised an eyebrow. _“My human mother usually only invited her date into her bedroom on the_ second _date. Well, Papyrus is different from them. He’s, uh, nicer.”_

Frisk nodded fervently. “Okay!”

Papyrus led her into a room blooming with color and vibrant life. A racecar bed covered one wall while battle strategies and figures coated a table nearby. A large bookcase spanned the corner to a door in the middle-right, which was flanked by a computer. Even the rug beneath them was meticulously decorated with flames. “NYEH-HEH! WE’RE HERE! NOW, I… HAVE TO ADMIT… I’VE NEVER DONE THIS WHOLE _DATING_ THING BEFORE. BUT! YOU CANNOT SPELL PREPARED WITHOUT SEVERAL LETTERS FROM MY NAME! LUCKILY, I BOUGHT A SUPERB DATING RULEBOOK FROM THE LIBRARY!” He took it out and skimmed a few pages.

_“Hey, Chara? What did your mom usually do after that?”_

_“I don’t know. She normally sent me to the neighbor’s house for the rest of the night,”_ Chara admitted.

“HEH… YES, STEP ONE… ASK THEM OUT. WE’RE AHEAD OF SCHEDULE, HUMAN! THAT’S _ALWAYS_ A GOOD SIGN! NOW, STEP TWO IS…” Papyrus narrowed his eyes. “EH… WE DON’T NEED THAT. STEP FOUR IS… HUMAN! WHAT AGE ARE YOU?”

“Twelve!” Frisk answered.

“…WELL! THIS RULEBOOK IS ALL WRONG!” Papyrus huffed. “I WILL BE GETTING AN IMMEDIATE REFUND. BUT! THERE _WAS_ A GOOD STARTING RULE! ONE MUST ALWAYS WEAR THEIR GOOD CLOTHES TO A DATE!” He hesitated as he looked her over. “BUT WAIT… YOU’RE ALREADY WEARING GOOD CLOTHES. YOU HAVE BEEN THIS ENTIRE TIME. AND THAT BOW! OBVIOUSLY STYLED TO MAKE YOU LOOK CUTER.”

Frisk raised her eyebrows. “What? Ribbon? Oh! Yeah, I found it and Mom put it in my hair.”

“SO, YOU EVEN GOT YOUR HAIR STYLED,” Papyrus stated and then gasped. “COULD THIS BE? HAVE YOU… BEEN PLANNING THIS ALL ALONG?! COULD YOU BE EVEN BETTER AT DATING THAN I AM? NO! THAT CANNOT BE! I HAVE NEVER BEEN BEATEN AT _DATING_ AND NEVER WILL! FOR I, TOO, CAN WEAR SPECIAL CLOTHING!”

Frisk didn’t necessarily _see_ what happened, but, within seconds, she heard Papyrus laugh, “NYEH-HEH-HEH! HUMAN!”

Chara took over enough to allow Frisk to see Papyrus. Her eyes widened. Papyrus, puffed up and grinning with a hand to his chest, stood before her. Yet, he was no longer in his midnight and red accented spiky armor. A leather jacket with studded shoulders framed his–most likely intentionally–torn “BAD BOY” shirt. His golden skull buckle was still on him, but now it held up torn shorts with minute, fierce designs. Long, gold-tread boots with a fire design held fast on the carpet beneath. A mane ringed his neck. Unlike Sans’ long, golden coat’s fur, this was shorter and a sharp red. “MY SECRET STYLE! WHAT DO YOU THINK?”

Frisk gasped and clapped, grinning ear to ear. Oh, wow he _was_ cool! She reflexively attempted to speak but Chara’s inherent muteness stopped her.

“YOU’VE BEEN LEFT SPEECHLESS!” Papyrus gasped. “YOU MUST GENUINELY LIKE MY OUTFIT. AND, BY EXTENSION, ME! W-WELL!” He smirked to hide the sudden nervousness he’d started to feel. “IT’S OBVIOUS THAT YOU’RE MADLY IN LOVE WITH ME.”

Frisk’s smile wavered a bit. Love was a _strong_ word… oh, but he was being so nice to her… and she was lying.

“SO, I–HUMAN! WHAT IS THAT LOOK? YOU NEED NOT BE NERVOUS!”

Frisk ducked her head and rubbed her arm. Chara stumbled back as she was forced out of Frisk’s body. “I… I’m sorry, Papyrus. I’ve been lying to you.”

“LYING TO ME?! …ABOUT WHAT?”

“I-I–well, it’s not that I don’t like you or anything! You’re really cool! But, it’s just… well…” She shifted her feet. “Oh, how do I say this? I-I, well… you deserve better. I’ve been lying to you because I thought you were cool, and you’d think I was uncool.” She sighed. “Because I’m blind and I always rely on Flowey…”

“WAS THAT IT?” Papyrus echoed. “I’VE KNOWN YOU WERE BLIND SINCE YOU FIRST COMPLETED THE CROSSWORD! SANS REPORTED THAT TO ME IMMEDIATELY AFTER MEETING YOU. THEN YOU DIDN’T EVEN NOTICE _ME_ UNTIL YOUR FLOWER TOLD YOU? EVERYONE IN SNOWDIN KNOWS YOU CAN’T SEE–EVEN LESS SO THAN DOGGO! THAT DOES NOT MAKE YOU _UNCOOL._ CAPTAIN UNDYNE HERSELF AND DR. ALPHYS AND EVEN MY OWN BROTHER CAN ONLY SEE OUT OF ONE EYE! BUT LYING TO ME ABOUT IT TO MAKE YOURSELF SOUND COOL…” He paused in thought and then perked up. “I’VE GOT IT! I SEE THAT YOU ARE IN NEED OF GUIDANCE. YOU NEED TO RESPECT YOURSELF! AS CAPTAIN UNDYNE TAUGHT ME: IF YOU RESPECT YOURSELF, THE ENTIRE WORLD WILL RESPECT YOU BACK! I AM, OF COURSE, A SHINING EXAMPLE OF THIS. WORRY NOT, HUMAN, FOR I, THE GREAT PAPYRUS, SHALL TEACH YOU HOW TO BE GREAT, TOO.”

*          *          *          *          *

_“FIGHT! FIGHT! FIGHT!”_

The word was chanted over and over in the bar. Everyone had gathered and, howling, barking, hissing, whinnying, raising their drinks, stamping their feet, or gnashing their teeth, egged on the two in the middle. Sans, bristling and spattered with ketchup and grease, held up his weapon: a half-empty mustard container. Flowey, face contorted into a wicked, fanged snarl and eyes black as the night with white pupils, curled his thorn-covered vines around a ketchup bottle and a plate. The plate was spattered with mustard, but so was half of Flowey’s face.

“Make another pun!” Flowey snapped. “I dare you! I’ll throw you in the garbage with the rest of the trash!”

“hey, _bud_ , don’t get _prickly_ with me now! you know empty threats are just _trash!_ ” Sans sneered.

Flowey hissed and a dozen friendliness pellets burst up from his boot and floated above his head. Sans summoned a few bones.

_Bark!_

Lesser Dog let out a tiny bark. Though his body currently sat at a one-person card table, the excitement caused his neck to stretch all the way to the other end of the bar so that the top of his head pressed against the window. Now he looked outside, his tail wagging fervently.

Doggo spun around. “What?” _Bark!_ “They’re here?” _Bark!_

Sans’ and Flowey’s attacks dissipated as both of their attention snapped to Doggo. “Both of them?!”

 _Bark!_ “Yep!” The other monsters quickly went back to their places, righting chairs that had been thrown down and correcting plates of food as if to make it seem none of them had been interested in the fight. Some monsters scrambled to pick up the betting money that had dropped onto the floor.

“Shit!” Flowey and Sans both spat.

Flowey glared at Sans. “Well? Do something!”

“you started this!” Sans snarled.

Flowey threw the plate and ketchup onto the counter. He wiped off the mustard with his vine, which no longer had thorns. The condiment was still smeared across his face. “Blegh! You’re the one with hands!”

Sans looked around. “err…” He looked at Grillby. “fries! i’ll pay for ’em later!”

Grillby held out his hand.

“c’mon, man!”

Grillby shook his head and leaned back into his place behind the counter.

Flowey snatched the mustard out of Sans’ hand and squirted it at him. Before Sans could curse him out, Flowey set it down and tossed the ketchup to Sans. “Spray me!”

Sans didn’t hesitate to follow _that_ order.

Flowey dug some of the dirt of his boot and sprinkled it on the ground.

By the time the door opened, Sans had set the ketchup down and sat with his back to the door. Flowey, facing away from the door, was next to them. Both of them chuckled, though they sent vicious glares at one another.

Frisk asked, “Flowey? Sans?”

Flowey called, “Uh, here!”

Frisk skipped over to them. “How did you guys do? Did you guys have lunch together? Oh, that’s so nice!”

Papyrus made a disgusted huff. “OR DID YOU ROLL AROUND IN YOUR LUNCHES?”

“Huh?” Frisk tipped her head.

“THEY’RE COVERED IN KETCHUP, MUSTARD, AND GREASE,” Papyrus growled.

Flowey coughed out a bit of ketchup that had gotten in his mouth. “Heh! Yeah! We are. Well, uh, funny story! Sans had bought some lunch.”

Sans shrugged. “yeah, it’s what i do. gotta love the burg.”

“Aaaand we were eating,” Flowey continued and looked at Sans.

“–and his dropped his meal.” Sans jabbed his thumb at Flowey. “he tried grabbin’ it but ended up spilling it all over himself.”

“Yeah,” Flowey agreed tightly. “And Sans was laughing so hard I, ah, tried to take away his lunch. He shoved me, and I accidentally hit his plate and got it all over him. See?” He gestured to the floor, where some dirt was scattered. “But we laughed it off. He said some awful jokes, I told him a few stories about our adventure, it was great!”

“yeah, the one about you two facing off against snowy was the best,” Sans agreed smoothly.

“So were the jokes you said would fit in them,” Flowey agreed with a light-hearted smile that showed off his fangs.

Frisk cooed, “Aw, that’s so nice! I told you they’d get along!”

“TECHNICALLY, _I_ TOLD _YOU_ THAT.”

“Oh. Well, I knew it my heart they would. But, um… you’re going to need to take a bath.” Frisk picked up Flowey, lifting her fingers when they touched spots of condiments. “And, um, you’re not going back in my coat.”

“I DON’T CARE HOW WELL YOU DIDN’T EMBARRASS YOURSELF, YOU’RE _NOT_ ENTERING MY HOUSE WITHOUT A BATH!”

Sans shrugged and got off his seat. “no problem, boss! i’m just glad we got along. say, how’d that, uh, date thing work out?”

Frisk strode out of the bar, holding Flowey close, but not too close as to get mustard and ketchup on her.

“So, Frisk. How’d your date go?” Flowey prompted.

Frisk grinned. “It was great! We got to talk a lot and he said he’d give me confidence lessons. A-and at the same time, I’ve been teaching him a lot about kindness and making himself popular rather than infamous. He also gave me instructions to the king’s castle. So, we should go there soon. But first, I’m dipping you in the river!”

Flowey sighed. “Yeah, I deserve that.”

“You know, Papyrus is letting us sleep over at his place until morning,” Frisk said. “You just need to get washed off first.”

“Are you sure that’s a good idea?” Flowey asked slowly.

Frisk nodded. “Mhm. We can’t stay at the inn, and we’re _both_ tired. Plus, I trust him, now. Besides, it’s better than sleeping out in the snow or some cave in Waterfall, right?”

“I guess so. It’s just… I don’t want to risk you getting cornered,” Flowey admitted. “You know how difficult it was to fight him. What if he decides being promoted is better for him than being friends with you? Befriending you could potentially cost him his job, you know!”

Frisk didn’t speak for a while. When she did, her voice was quiet. “I know, Flowey. You’re my best friend–the best I’ve ever had. But, I am very confident that it’s safe at Papyrus’ house. Who would mess with him?”

“True. I’m still worried,” Flowey muttered with a short sigh. “We could both do with some sleep. Okay. I know we can reset, but I don’t want to rely on it too much. What if we can’t do that forever? What if there’s a limit?”

Frisk nodded. “Yeah, I understand. Okay. How about this: we stay over there. But the first sign of danger, we leave.”

“Better. Promise to listen to me?”

“Promise you’ll only react out of _real_ danger?”

“Yeah.”

“Yeah, okay.”

 

That night, Frisk and Flowey were allowed to sleep on the living room couch. Frisk was even given a blanket. A weird feeling fell over them. It was as if… some part of her had fallen asleep early. She realized that once she was put to bed… she wasn’t given any instruction. No one had _told_ her to go to bed. With Flowey quietly resting on the end table next to her, and Chara staying silent, and neither of the brothers telling her she _had_ to sleep… who else was she supposed to rely on? Now, as she lay there, she felt strangely empty. The only other time Frisk was alone and without instruction… she’d walked straight into the Underground.

Logically, she should be getting sleep. But the weird feeling of… independence took over her. Was it independence she felt? Well, if it was, she really didn’t like it. At least that force that urged her on was _something._ Well, perhaps it wasn’t independence that felt weird, but solitude. _Logically_ , her two best friends were just a breath–or even a thought–away.

Two voices emanated from Papyrus’ room, breaking Frisk’s train of thought.

“…nah, it’s okay. i just lost my temper, you know? don’t worry about it.”

“BUT I DO. SANS, YOU CAN TAKE CARE OF YOURSELF. YOU MAY NOT BE THE TOUGHEST MONSTER I KNOW, BUT YOU’RE CERTAINLY THE BEST. BUT…”

“…we can’t do it alone. if i’d helped you, we’d have been able to capture that human. but you didn’t.”

“I KNOW. BUT I HAVE A GOOD FEELING ABOUT THEM.”

“yeah. one you haven’t had since you were shorter than me, huh?”

“OH, SHUT UP.”

“hey, don’t get _short_ with me!”

“ _SANS._ _”_

“alright, alright! heh. i know. how about this: you keep goin’ out and givin’ undyne what she wants. then i help you with the rest.”

“THANK YOU, SANS. …I KNOW I’VE ASKED THIS BEFORE. BUT DO YOU… THINK THAT THINGS ARE GOING TO CHANGE?”

“that you won’t call me your lazy lackey? please, i’ll be the laziest sack of shit until our dust is scattered.”

“THAT’S NOT WHAT I MEANT.”

“i know. but, bro… maybe. i wouldn’t hold my breath, though. it’ll take a miracle to change this place.”

“BUT THAT WOULD TAKE A HUMAN SOUL, WOULDN’T IT?”

“don’t think on it too hard, okay? just do what ya gotta do. if worse comes to worst, well, i’ve got your back. now, let’s get to sleep before undyne asks why you look like a de-stuffed bear. don’t make me break out _‘fluffy bunny’_ because i will.”

“I KNOW. BUT YOU NEED YOUR SLEEP, TOO. GOODNIGHT, SANS.”

“goodnight, pap.”

The door opened and closed. Frisk and Flowey both shut their eyes. But Sans didn’t seem to be paying attention to them as he strolled into his room.

 

_“C’mon, Frisk. Take it. It won’t hurt if you kept it.”_

_“But, Cammie! It’s a knife! Knives hurt people!”_

_“Take it.”_

_“Cammie…”_

_“You said you wanted me to teach you how to be tough. Take it. Now.”_

_“O-okay! Okay.”_

_“Good. Now, the first lesson: hold the knife like so. If you hold it like this, people will have a harder time taking it away from you. But it will also be easier to use.”_

_“But I don’t wanna hurt anyone.”_

_“Well, I don’t want a father that drowns himself in alcohol and wakes me up at midnight to curse me out, but not everyone gets what they want. First lesson! Never show weakness. Never let anyone think they can try stuff with you. If someone crosses you, make them sorry. You are a strong girl and you_ will _be stronger than them. If they’re tough, you’re tougher.”_

_“But you don’t have to hurt people to be tough.”_

_“Ugh. Frisk, you don’t go places talking like that. People will only respect you if give them a reason to. Now, take that knife, and stab that dummy.”_

_“B-but–ah! Cammie!”_

_“Do it. Either the dummy or me. The dummy’s not going to fight back.”_

_“O-okay! I’m sorry! I-I’ll do it!”_

_“…good. You’re weak, but don’t worry. I’ll train you up. One day, you’ll be just as strong as me. No one will ever cross you again.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "[Papyrus] probably would've invited his garbage brother. You know. Smiley Trashbag. ... Say. If I have ONE piece of advice for you: DON'T. Let his brother. Find out ANYTHING about you. He'll... well... Let's just say he's caused me more than my fair share of resets. Stay away from that guy."
> 
> So, have some backstory! Haha Of course, Chara's an expert... after watching her garbage mom go on a few dates, right? Well, at least she knows more than Frisk. Cameline never brought any of her boyfriends home.
> 
> This marks the end of the Snowdin arc! Hello, Waterfall, my dearest love.


	12. Riverbank

Snow blanketed the ground of the forest. Trees, glimmering in snow, stood tall along the bank of an icy river that snaked all through the Underground. Frisk traveled out of the road from Snowdin to a tunnel carved by the river, Flowey’s boot in her arms.

Frisk winced as a drop of water hit her eyelid. “Is it going to be like this the whole time, Flowey?”

Flowey shook his head. “No. There are some waterfalls in these tunnels here. However, there are parts of waterfall that aren’t _as_ wet. It is a marsh, though.”

Frisk pouted. “Well… how long until we get out?”

“I don’t know. A while, probably. Just, watch where you step. You don’t want to fall in.”

The river turned away. The tunnel continued onward. Water stopped dripping from the ceiling. Just as well; the floor broke away in one place to allow water to pour out in a waterfall beneath them. A sentry station was pushed up to the top right corner. Sans, an elbow propping up his head on the table, played with something on the station. A brilliant blue flower bloomed from the ground. A yellow glimmer of light was on the right side. Before Frisk and Flowey could approach them, as the flower looked inviting, a body roughly her size ran into her.

Frisk gasped and took a step back. “Oh goodness! I’m so sorry!”

The person in front of them, an armless lizard-kid with a striped sweater, shook his frilled head and glowered at her. “Watch where you’re going next time!”

“I’m sorry.” Frisk straightened up. “I didn’t mean to run into you. Hey, what are you doing here, anyway?”

“Whatever I want,” the kid snapped and then hesitated. “Well, away. I’m going to go watch Captain Undyne beat up some bad guys.”

“Captain Undyne?”

Monster Kid nodded. “Yeah! Captain Undyne! She’s just the coolest! I’m going to be her apprentice and be just like her when I grow up.”

“She must be really cool, then.”

“Oh yeah, she is. She beats up all the bad guys and runs the entire royal guard. No one messes with her. I’m going out to see her. Are you coming?”

Frisk nodded. “I would love to! I need to get to Hotland, though.”

“Oh. To see Mettaton?”

“Er–that would be nice, too!”

“Whatever. He’s nowhere near as cool as Captain Undyne.” MK shrugged. “Well, bye!” MK turned and raced down the path further into Waterfall.

Flowey sighed. “Great. Captain Undyne followers. If we hurry, we might slip past them.”

Frisk set her hand on the yellow glimmer.

_“The sound of rushing water fills you with determination.”_

Frisk nodded and kept going. “Okay.”

 _“Okay.”_ Frisk’s voice popped up behind them. She jumped and spun around. Nothing.

Sans snickered, “what? never seen an echo flower before? i thought at least your little flower would’ve known.”

Flowey rolled his eyes. “Yes. An echo flower repeats the last thing it’s heard over and over.”

_“Yes. An echo flower repeats the last thing it’s heard over and over.”_

Frisk chuckled. “Wow! That’s so neat! These are all over the place?”

Flowey nodded. “Yeah. They’re all over the marsh.”

“That would be so cool if those existed above ground,” Frisk reminisced. “It would make a lot of sense. Lots of places seem to talk at night. Like the wind whispers your name or the trees and bushes rustle and cackle or something. Mt. Ebott Nature Preserve is the spookiest forest I’ve ever seen.”

“Mt. Ebott Nature Reserve?” Flowey echoed.

_“Mt. Ebott Nature Reserve?”_

“mt. ebott nature reserve?” Sans mimicked.

“Mt. Ebott Nature Reserve!” Frisk giggled. “Aw! You can have so much fun with these flowers.”

“…fun. Yeah. Let’s keep going, alright?” Flowey encouraged.

Frisk nodded and continued on their journey. “Bye!”

“bye, kid.”

_“bye, kid.”_

Down the path, a thin wooden staircase led down the waterfall. Unfortunately, it just did a loop next to the waterfall, so it didn’t help her cross. The waterfall itself burbled and rushed across the stone. Rocks from above crashed into the water and flowed down the waterfall. A trans dimensional box sat cozily beside the waterfall. Flowey craned his neck so that he could read the sign next to the box. “‘This is a box. You can put an item in or take an item out. Why would you though? You can’t use items when they’re in the box! -Sincerely, a box hater.’”

Frisk knelt and opened the box. Their candy was still in there. She smiled, got up, and approached the riverside. “Is there a way around?”

Flowey shook his head. “No. We’ll have to walk across.” He cocked his head. “Wait… I think there might be a cave or something behind the falls.”

“Really? Well… I don’t want to get my coat wet.” Frisk gently took off her coat, folded it, and set it inside the box with a little pat. Her stick was put down as well. She pulled up the sleeves of her pants up to her knees and, Flowey and shoes in hand, tromped across the river. Once she was near the middle, she waded up the waterfall and ducked into a cave behind it. She shook her head and spat out some water. At the edge of the cave was an old tutu.

_“Old Tutu. DEF +10, ‘Finally, a protective piece of armor.’”_

Once Flowey explained their surroundings, Frisk perked up and took the article of clothing. “Oh! I’ve always wanted something like this.”

“Eh, great. At least it’s some sort of protective.”

Frisk tied it around her waist. She turned around a few times to watch the worn clothing move with her. Then, she grinned and ducked under the waterfall, slipped on her coat, rested Flowey’s boot on her bag, and waded to the other side.

Flowey looked around. “Let’s just hope you don’t get a cold, then. Grass?”

Frisk tipped her head. She was still walking through a thinner tunnel. However, most of it was now blocked by tall grass. The young human carefully stepped through it. Before she could get through it completely, a very familiar voice stopped her.

Papyrus stated, “HELLO, CAPTAIN. I’M HERE WITH MY DAILY REPORT.”

Frisk’s eyes grew round in surprise. Flowey shook his head vigorously.

“REGARDING THAT HUMAN I CALLED YOU ABOUT EARLIER… HUH?” Papyrus cut himself off. A short growl both amplified and muffled by a metal helmet came in response. Papyrus hesitated and answered, “DID I FIGHT HER? OF COURSE I DID! I FOUGHT HER VALIENTLY! …DID I CAPTURE HER? OH! WELL… NO. I TRIED VERY HARD, CAPTAIN, BUT IN THE END… I FAILED.” Papyrus could barely choke out the words. Frisk put a hand to her mouth. Flowey looked at her incredulously. “YOU’RE GOING TO TAKE THE HUMAN’S SOUL YOURSELF? BUT CAPTAIN UNDYNE, YOU DON’T HAVE TO DESTROY HER. YOU SEE…” The second voice cut him off. “…I UNDERSTAND. I WILL DO WHAT I CAN TO HELP YOU.” Papyrus’ heavy footsteps faded.

Frisk about spoke, but Flowey tapped his head to hers to quiet her. Frisk took a deep breath and started to move forward. She stopped as metal footsteps began approaching the cliff. Above them, all they could see on the cliff was the tip of two large, midnight boots. A glowing spear the color of blue crystal materialized in the knight’s left hand, while her right one hovered close to her waist. Her long red hair–compressed by her helmet–brushed her elbows and back.

Eventually, the knight let go of the spear, which immediately dematerialized, and took a few steps back.

Frisk took a shaky breath and walked very carefully through the grass and to the ground on the other side. A yellow glimmer hovered a few feet away. Before she could make it, MK raced out of the grass, too. He laughed and turned his attention on her. “Yo! Did you see the way she looked at you? Aw man, that’s so cool! C’mon! If we hurry, I bet we can watch her beat up some bad guys!” The boy raced ahead again. Unfortunately, he tripped and fell on his face. Before Frisk could aid him, Monster Kid jumped back up and kept running.

_“A feeling of dread hangs over you… but you stay determined.”_

Frisk took a deep breath. “I don’t want to think about what that means.”

Flowey nodded. “Me, neither. Hopefully there’s a way we can keep avoiding her.”

Frisk continued her walk. Eventually, she got to a section where a stream cut through the trail. A sign next to four leafy seeds was before it. Flowey craned his neck to look at the sign. “‘When four bridge seeds align in the water, they will bloom.’ Are _those_ bridge seeds?”

Frisk shrugged. “I guess. They’re next to the puzzle.” She set down Flowey and, with Chara’s aid, picked up the first seed with both hands. Once she set it in the water, she gave it a little push. It floated to the other side of the gap. Three more followed it. Once all four seeds had been aligned in a straight row, they bloomed. The leaves grew broad and round. The flowers bloomed, and petals lay flat. Frisk grabbed Flowey and strode to the other side.

Frisk gasped as her soul appeared before her chest. A horse swam up before her. From the belly up, it looked to be a brown anthropomorphic horse. From the waist down, a long, green fish tail snaked down. Once he knew that Frisk and Flowey’s attention were on him, he flexed his arms and smirked. His fanged teeth glinted in the crystal light. Aaron flexes in!

_“Aaron–Attack 24, Defense 12. HP 96. This seahorse has a lot of horsepower.”_

“Check all you want,” Aaron laughed and swung at her. Frisk yelped and dodged most of the swings. However, Aaron managed to hit her with his elbow. A crack formed in her soul. Frisk shook her head. Aaron playfully splashed water at them with his serpent-esc tail.

Flowey grimaced as water was splashed in his face. “Blegh! Plegh! Ugh! My mouth was open.”

Frisk shuffled her feet. “Um, yes. But can we pass now?”

“Come in! The water’s fine!” Aaron invited with a wink. Frisk dodged another few swings. Aaron didn’t seem to maliciously laugh if she got hurt or enjoyed watching her pain.

Chara thought for a moment. Water phased right through her. _“Try flexing back.”_

Frisk set Flowey down, puffed out her chest, and flexed at Aaron.

_“ATTACK increases for both of you.”_

“Wait, what?”

The seahorse laughed, “Flexing contest? Okay, flex more.” Aaron’s tail whipped around to coil around himself but instead ended up slapping his waist. The sweat and water that trickled down his tawny skin flung itself at Frisk. This attack was almost impossible to dodge. Frisk held a hand to her aching chest. More cracks formed in her soul. Aaron watched her in anticipation.

Frisk grimaced and hissed, “That hurt! Are you sure I should be doing this?”

 _“Yes. He’s a show off. Just try and show off to him and he’ll be forced to out-show you, no matter what,”_ Chara reassured her.

Frisk puffed out her chest again and flexed at him.

“Nice! I won’t lose, though,” Aaron chuckled with a wink. He swung at them again. Frisk jumped nimbly from foot to foot, allowing Aaron very little time to hit them. Eventually, Aaron returned to his original place. His tail slapped the water again. Frisk jumped back, but her legs were wet, and feet soaked so it didn’t matter, anyway. Flowey spat out a bit more water and shook droplets from his tattered petals.

Frisk flexed at him again. Aaron, not even challenged by a young human, flexed thrice as hard. He flexed so hard, that he ended up flexing himself out of the room. A few coins clattered to the ground, though a good third of it fell into the water. Frisk pocketed the looted g. “Are you okay?”

“I’m soaked,” Flowey grumbled as he was picked up. “But fine. What’s ahead?”

“Another seed puzzle, I think,” Frisk replied as she crossed the bridge into the next room. She nearly trod upon four more bridge seeds.

A golden bell was at the end of the room with a sign next to it. Flowey looked it over. “‘If an error is made, the bell blossom can call the bridge seeds back to where they started.’ That’s handy. Now this line here…” Flowey turned to the stream on the left edge of the room. A bridge connected it to the other tunnel. However, there was no bridge at the top. Each space between the two parts of land was only big enough to hold three bridge seeds at most. Flowey turned to the southern side of the room. A small strip of land separated a sign in the water from another swath of water. “Oh! There’s a sign over there! Bring those seeds over there. Maybe it will give us a hint.”

“I’ll check it out.” Frisk picked up a seed and walked over to the sign. Unfortunately, partway there, she tripped over an uneven stone. The bridge seed drifted into the water–on the other side of the strip of land. Frisk attempted to grasp it. It drifted to the side under her touch. Frisk groaned and got up. “Darnit.”

“You can use the bell,” Flowey encouraged.

“Okay. Wait a second…” Frisk picked up Flowey and walked to the end of the room. The bridge seed had stopped at the edge. “Why did it stop here?”

Flowey craned his neck and looked around the corner. “Oh! There’s a dock! Put down a few more.”

Frisk pushed three more bridge seeds into the water. They bloomed and allowed the two passage. There, in a secluded little room, was a bench and an echo flower. _“I just wasn’t ready for the responsibility.”_

Frisk tipped her head and knelt. Underneath of the bench was a quiche. Flowey huffed, “A quiche? Responsibility…?” Frisk gently took out the quiche and held it up in her hands.

_“‘Abandoned Quiche.’ Heals 34 HP. A psychologically damaged spinach egg pie.”_

“Aw! It was abandoned!” Frisk whined.

“It’s a quiche. It’s not a real thing,” Flowey pointed out. “Someone just baked it. Maybe someone baked it and the other person didn’t really like it and put it here? I don’t know. It’s just a quiche. Come on; let’s solve that puzzle.”

Frisk gently wrapped the quiche and set it inside of her bag. Once it was safely put away, she picked up Flowey and went back into the next room. New seeds had formed. Frisk went over to the bridge and pushed them upstream so that the bridge seeds were caught on the sides of the stream. They bloomed and allowed passage. Frisk happily skipped across.

Frisk jumped as her phone rang. Flowey watched in skepticism as Frisk picked up the phone in one hand and held Flowey in the other. “Hello? This is Frisk.”

“HELLO, HUMAN! THIS IS PAPYRUS!”

“Hello, Papyrus!” Frisk greeted. “Wait… did I give you my number…?”

“YES. WHAT WERE YOU WEARING? I’M ASKING FOR A FRIEND. SHE THOUGHT SHE SAW YOU WEARING THAT RIBBON.”

“Really? Well, I _am_ still wearing it,” Frisk answered in reply, playing with the ribbon in her hair. “But I got a really cool tutu!”

“Wearing what?” Flowey inquired.

“The ribbon,” Frisk answered simply.

“SO, YOU ARE WEARING A FADED RIBBON. GOOD. ER–GOOD LUCK.” _Click._

Flowey looked at the phone and then up at her. “What was that about?”

Frisk shrugged. “I don’t know. Maybe his friend wanted to know if I was his friend or something.”

Flowey huffed and turned ahead. “I don’t trust this at all. Do you know who ‘she’ is?”

Frisk shook her head. “No. I don’t.”

“What if it’s that armored monster?” Flowey questioned. “The one who attempted to spear us. _Captain Undyne_.”

“Maybe. But now that she knows we’re friends, maybe she won’t spear us!” Frisk suggested as she walked into the next room.

A harsh whisper came from a blooming echo flower next to the entrance, _“A long time ago, monsters would whisper their wishes to the stars in the sky. If you wished with all your heart, it would come true. Now all we have are these sparkling stones in the ceiling…”_

Frisk jumped and then relaxed. The area was filled with echo flowers. A sign stood on the wall opposite the door. Flowey whispered, “Wishing Room.”

The next echo flower announced, _“Thousands of people wishing can’t be wrong! The king will prove that! …right?”_

Frisk jolted as her soul warmed the area before her chest. A little bucket-shaped creature hobbled forth. One arm looked like a crank. The other held a round head, presumably belonging to the creature. A fish tank half-full of water made the top of the bucket. A little bird sat in the water, chirping quietly to itself.

_“Woshua–Attack 18, Defense 5. HP 72. This germaphobe wishes to cleanse the world of its filth.”_

“Cleanse your _soul!”_ Woshua hissed and waved its free hand. A bar of soap zipped around the place. Frisk yelped as one of the glittering sparkles trailing it left a crack in her soul.

“U-um… do you wish to clean me?” Frisk offered.

Woshua bounced in excitement. “Green means clean!”

This time, a round of giant, white water droplets rushed away from Woshua. Upon hitting the wall, a bit of dirt was washed away. Green drops of water meandered slowly away from Woshua. Upon touching it, a fracture in her soul was erased. The muck that had collected on Frisk and Flowey both was gone.

Woshua, proud of its good work, chattered to its little bird friend.

“Bye!” Frisk waved her hand. Woshua shuffled away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "BRIDGE SEEDS ARE LIMITED IN THEIR USES. WHY NOT AIRPLANE SEEDS?"
> 
> Welcome to Waterfall! Out with the snow in the constant dampness. It seems that danger never hesitates to find them. Also, we meet up with probably the only other kid in the Underground _not_ in Snowdin: MK! Also, also: we meet up with the Underground's greatest hero!
> 
> Waterfall is actually my favorite section of the game. I keep a lot of minor character personalities since they only make sense. Woshua is a germaphobe and would be in any aspect and Aaron is an overly masculine show-off.


	13. Make Like a Lizard...

Plenty of the other echo flowers were strangely silent. Frisk hesitated and then knelt beside one of the echo flowers. “Don’t worry. Everyone will be free soon.”

_“Don’t worry. Everyone will be free soon.”_

Frisk then began to have fun with them. “Howdy!”

_“Howdy!”_

“This is your Captain speaking…”

_“This is your Captain speaking…”_

Frisk snickered and said, “Flowey, you say one.”

_“Flowey, you say one.”_

Flowey looked at Frisk. “I’m not going to stoop to your level.”

_“I’m not going to stoop to your level.”_

Frisk giggled. The flower giggled back. This caused the young human to laugh. The blue flower mimicked her perfectly. Flowey groaned and tipped his head back in exasperation.

Frisk cleared her throat and said to one, “My name is Flora.”

_“My name is Flora.”_

Frisk, hiding a giggle, leaned the echo flower close to another and activated it.

_“My name is Flora.”_

_“My name is Flora.”_

Frisk let go of the flowers. “I did it!” Frisk giggled. “Knock, knock.”

_“Knock, knock.”_

Frisk moved onto the next one. “Who’s there?”

_“Who’s there?”_

“Dishes.”

_“Dishes.”_

“Dishes who?”

_“Dishes who?”_

“Dishes a bad joke!”

_“Dishes a bad joke!”_

Frisk put a hand to her mouth to keep from laughing loud enough for the echo flowers to hear. Finally, Flowey managed to make Frisk stand up and continue. Frisk nearly bumped into a telescope as she walked through the small room. “Oh! A telescope! Down here? What’s in it?”

Flowey leaned down so that he could look through the telescope. “Ah… there are just a bunch of crystals–wait. Someone wrote on this! …check wall? What does that mean?”

“Maybe there’s something hidden in the walls?” Frisk answered and began patting the walls. A few vines from Flowey erupted from the damp soil in the boot and felt around the walls as well. There was a branching hallway that led to a dead end. However, when Frisk pressed her hands to the dead end, it shuttered and collapsed. A hole wide enough and tall enough for her was bared.

Frisk and Flowey entered a dock. Or, rather, a large wooden platform over the water with a small dock to one side. Signs with old hieroglyphs decorated the wall on the other side.

Flowey squinted as he looked over them. “I can just barely make them out… ‘The War of Humans and Monsters.’” Frisk walked to the next one. “‘Why did the humans attack? Indeed, they had nothing to fear. Humans are unbelievably strong. It would take the soul of nearly every monster just to equal the power of a single human soul.’ … ‘But humans have one weakness. Ironically, it is the strength of their soul. Its power allows it to persist outside of the human body, even after death.’ … ‘If a monster defeats a human, they can take its soul. A monster with a human soul… a terrible being with unimaginable power.’” The last sign was just a drawing of a horrible creature, which Flowey refused to describe.

“That is very unsettling,” Frisk murmured.

Flowey nodded slowly. “…yes. Let’s keep moving. There’s a little boat thing here we can use, I think.”

Frisk walked to the end of the dock. A piece of wood was docked there. Carefully, Frisk put a foot on it and slowly sank her weight into it. The wood shuttered but otherwise didn’t move. Once both of Frisk’s feet were on it, she sat down and rowed the little thing across. The water, very cold to her hands and fingers, was quite still and allowed them an easy passage.

As she went, voices began to whisper around them. _“We’ll never be free…” “They’ll kill us all…” “Angel? Angel of Death more like…” “We’re doomed.” “Just DROWN already!” “The water is so cold…” “Hide here just for a bit…” “don’t hurt him!” “I’ll come back. I promise. Quiet.” “Someone take care of him…” “I’m sorry…” “Regret…” “I’ll find you.” “kill me…” “I love you.”_ Frisk whimpered and looked around. There were only blue specks of light in the dark. As she progressed, she found the voices began to mingle and garble and change until they were unrecognizable. _“Wey'll keler bus ale...” “Thus'll kROWs allady!” “Angyl'll kAll usl all Death more like...” “Wm'lle ryvomedfree...” “Anst DROWN ofreaaty! more like...” “Whe wador isedo cold...” “kiide hate jisst foc aldit...” “donrehuot hiem!” “I'liseoheROasN oreroyiise. Quiet.” “Somewane tske carld of him...” “kim serry...” “Ridcrete bjuk. fopramtse. Quiet” “I'll fi'tmurtuam! I promise. Quiet.” “Rll sery...” “I'lovndyou.”_

Frisk put her hands over her ears to attempt to block out the cries and mutters and garbled messages that assaulted them. Flowey searched the water and grabbed onto various rocks, broken planks, sunken boats, and other objects in the water with his vines to keep them moving. By the time they hit the dock on the other side, the echo flowers were distant, and their words were quiet mumbles.

“Frisk?” Flowey’s vine wrapped around her wrist.

Frisk opened her watery eyes and let go of her ears. “H-huh? Flowey?”

“We’re out, now,” Flowey replied in a quiet voice. “We’re out. The marsh has patches like these all over the place. Hopefully, we can avoid most of them. But they’re nothing, Frisk. They’re nothing but old voices.”

“They sounded so sad and distressed and angry…” Frisk complained.

Flowey nodded. “I know. But those could have come from anyone at any time. The marsh takes a voice and never let's go. The only ones that can be overridden are ones you are right next to and that are relatively alone–like the ones you were playing with earlier. They probably activated when the water started shifting. Now, let’s get a move on, okay? Let’s put as much distance between us and the screaming bogs as possible.”

Frisk crawled onto the dock and walked a few steps forward. The walkway was thinner here and winding near the end. To the left, just past a gap of water, was a hallway full of large, thick pillars.

“I have a really bad feeling about this,” Flowey whispered.

Frisk nodded. “I… I hope there’s nothing here.” She hadn’t made it three steps before a giant, icy blue spear struck into the wood before her. She jumped back with a shout. The armored monster that Papyrus had spoken with stepped out of the shadows of the pillars.

Flowey yelped, “Run! _Run!_ ”

Frisk jumped and raced forward, making sure to keep a hand on Flowey’s boot under her coat. Three large spears were summoned into existence and flew at her. With Chara and Flowey’s aid, Frisk skittered out of the way. The three spears struck the wall on the other side of her. The head of the spears sank completely into the earth. Once the spears stopped moving, they evaporated. Once they evaporated, three more took their place and launched themselves at Frisk and Flowey.

The dock curved in many places to avoid large patches of greenery in the water. While attempting to run with one of the curves, a spear struck through her soul. Frisk yelped and set a hand on her chest. Her soul cracked and shuttered.

Shaky and mind blank from fear, Frisk raced as fast as she could down the dock. Finally, she made it to a giant patch of extremely tall grass. She tripped over a rock and hit the ground with a huff. Instead of getting up, she flattened herself to the ground and hid Flowey’s brightly colored head beneath her hands.

Heavy boots clunked against the earth. Captain Undyne’s large body separated the sea of grass. The footsteps stopped by Frisk. She hardly dared to breathe. Captain Undyne’s hand flashed down. Frisk squealed as the captain’s metal-clad hand grabbed her by the back of her sweater and yanked her up. The armored monster growled in victory as she held her up to eye level. Spears sparked into existence around her. “There you are, you little shit!”

Frisk’s eyes grew round as orbs. She held up her arms and slipped out of her coat. After grabbing Flowey, she darted off. Captain Undyne snarled and spat venomous swears. Many spears flashed past her. Frisk’s coat was torn to shreds by both spear and the captain’s hands as she ripped it in half.

Thankfully, they were able to slip out of the grass and into a tunnel nearby. The captain’s voice got softer as she did not follow them. A table holding a crystal-encased piece of cheese was to one side of the room. A yellow sparkle was to the other.

_“Knowing that the mouse might one day extract the cheese from the crystal, it fills you with determination.”_

Frisk took a deep breath. The pain was completely gone. “That was _really_ close.”

“Way too close,” Flowey agreed, his voice still a bit shaky. He took a deep breath to calm himself. “Okay. Let’s just concentrate on getting out of Waterfall. I don’t think she can follow us into Hotland.”

“Why not?”

“Half the place is lava. She’s a fish monster. Heat and fish don’t go along well.”

“Well, at least I won’t need my coat there.” The small room they appeared in was a bit empty, though a telescope was up against the wall.

The next place they went to was just a jumble of islands connected by bridges. Glimmering blue grass puffed up throughout the islands. The small islands created a maze of places where Frisk could go. It also created a maze of places for other monsters to go. Echo flowers whispered through the grasses and water. The flowers were alone and quiet.

 _Brrriiing! Brrriiing! Br–_ Frisk picked up her phone. “Hello? This is Frisk.”

“HELLO! THIS IS PAPYRUS! REMEMBER WHEN I ASKED YOU ABOUT CLOTHES? WELL, THE FRIEND I WAS ASKING FOR… WANTS TO KILL YOU. BUT, SINCE I KNEW THAT YOU KNEW THAT ALREADY, I KNEW THAT AFTER SUCH A SUSPICIOUS QUESTION, YOU WOULD OBVIOUSLY CHANGE YOUR CLOTHES. THUS, I TOLD HER THAT YOU WERE INDEED WEARING THAT RIBBON! THUS, I HAVE BETRAYED NO ONE.” _Click._

Flowey raised an eyebrow at them. Frisk, face now gaining a reddish tinge, put away the cell phone. “I… did not think of that. But, um, let’s keep going.”

Flowey nodded. “Alright. Just don’t answer any more suspicious questions.” Frisk didn’t answer. She just kept walking.

Eventually, they got to a point where they found another sign. Frisk stopped to allow Flowey to read it. “‘The power to take their souls. This is the power that the humans feared.’”

Frisk stepped to the side and continued through the trail. “I would understand why people would be afraid of that.”

She entered a small room, interrupted in the center by a pool. Somewhere in the far end of the pool was Aaron. His slim tail ending in a fish’s tail fin wrapped around himself. He flexed at himself in the water.

Frisk’s soul popped up in front of her. Sitting on the water’s edge close to them, hiding beneath a curtain of hair and resting atop a round-spiked rock, was Shyren.

_“Shyren–Attack 19, Defense 0. HP 66. Too shy to sing her deadly song.”_

Shyren whispered, “…toot…” A white music note twirled slowly away from her. Frisk side-stepped away. Shyren began to hum quietly under her breath.

Frisk smiled. “Can I see your smile, please?” In the corner, Aaron lowered his arms and nodded in encouragement. Shyren retreated and got quieter. No real attack came this time.

Frisk began to hum a sad song. Shyren popped her head out from beneath her hair. Eyes bright in encouragement, Shyren raised her voice to a gentle, sad hum. Although her attack was more rigorous, Frisk hardly had to move at all to dodge them.

 _“Shyren seems much more comfortable singing along,”_ Chara commented, hands behind her back.

Frisk continued humming her song. Shyren continued to follow along. Monsters began creeping into the room, eyes bright and attention on them. Suddenly, it was a concert.

Shyren took her time to hum louder. Frisk continued her song. Sans was handing out tickets made of toilet paper. Surprisingly, no one crossed him.

Frisk grinned. The praise and cheering around her gave her the confidence to keep going. Shyren followed suit with a passion. Her attacks were getting increasingly harder to dodge. It was still fun to sing along.

The monsters around began throwing clothing. It’s a storm of socks. Frisk giggled. Flowey ducked his head to avoid being hit by a sock. Unfortunately, one landed on his head, so he had to shake that off.

As they sang, Frisk began to see a shift in Shyren’s mood. She began to become thoughtful. Although the excited monsters looked threatening, their smiles and bright eyes betrayed their common love of music. They whooped and whistled in jubilation with higher pitched voices rather than the low growls and grumbles Frisk was used to hearing.

Frisk turned back to Shyren. She was going to have the _best_ career. However, Frisk wasn’t going to be part of it. They both knew that it was their time. It was time to depart. They sang one final song, which made Shyren’s attacks infinitely harder to dodge.

Frisk bowed. Coin clattered to the ground. She picked up a portion of the g and scampered off. The monsters, knowing the concert was over, went back home. Many joked and shoved each other playfully. Although some growled at each other, the lighthearted mood of the concert relaxed their hate, if for but a while.

The two ended up finding another text on the wall. Flowey leaned forward to read it. “‘The northern room hides a great treasure.’ A great treasure, eh? Let’s go up and see.” Frisk walked up through the short tunnel that led to the room specified by the sign. It was a small room with a piano to the left, a short indention to the north, and a sign to the right. Flowey piped up, “‘A haunting song echoes down the corridor… Won’t you play along?’ What song?”

Frisk shrugged. “I don’t hear any music. Maybe there’s something down the hall…?”

“Maybe. Let’s go.” Flowey looked ahead, back to the pool with Shyren and Aaron. Frisk passed them both.

Frisk and Flowey found more text on the walls. Flowey ran his gaze over the hieroglyphs. “‘This power has no counter. Indeed, a human cannot take a monster’s soul. When a monster dies, its soul disappears. An incredible power would be needed to take the soul of a living monster.’ … ‘There is only one exception. The soul of a special species of monster called a ‘boss monster.’ A boss monster’s soul is strong enough to persist after death… if only for a few moments. A human could absorb this soul. But this has never happened. And now it never will.’” Someone had outlined the last sentence and underlined it in red. Frisk shook her head and continued down the trail.

Within a small, dark room, a statue stood. A little ray of light beamed down upon the thing. Water dripped and fell as well. Water ran like sweat off the statue and tears over its stone eyes. The thing was bent over, horns bared and hands covering something between its crossed legs as if it was protecting it. A dry spot could be seen just under its hands. A short way away, a rack full of umbrellas stood.

Frisk walked over to the umbrellas stand, pulled out a tan umbrella, and approached the stone statue. The drops of water were soon blocked under the shade of the umbrella. As if by magic, the lonely statue didn’t look so sad. Water no longer rolled down its face like tears. Instead, a soft melody started to play from a music box under its hands.

“What did that do?” Flowey questioned.

Frisk shrugged. “I don’t know. It’s playing some nice music, though. Wait… maybe this is the song the piano room referenced.”

“It does sound like it was played on the piano,” Flowey agreed. “So… we just memorize the tune. I’m, uh, not good with songs.”

“I am!” Frisk purred. “I love songs! Stay quiet for a bit.” Frisk shut her eyes. The feeling of peace and melancholy from the song drifted through her. _Do de do do do-de-do do, do de do do do-de-do do…_

As she hummed, she found a second voice alongside her own. Frisk didn’t need to ask or search to know who sang with her. Instead, she set her hands behind her back and continued to sing. Chara sang alongside her. Both hummed to the tune of the soft music box before them. Eventually, Frisk opened her eyes and pulled herself away from the song. Chara stopped singing. Her bright red eyes didn’t leave the statue. “I think I got it. Come on.”

 _“W-wait!”_ Chara called after her.

Frisk stopped and looked back. “Huh?”

Chara set a hand on her arm and looked away, despite knowing neither Frisk nor Flowey could see her. _“Can… can we just stay here a little longer?”_

Frisk smiled and nodded. “Sure! Sure, we can wait a while.” She sat down and crossed her legs. Chara, despite knowing no such thing as exhaustion in death, sat down as well.

Flowey cocked his head. “Uh… who are you talking to?”

“My spirit friend,” Frisk explained. “Did… did I not tell you?”

Flowey shook his head. “No, actually. But now that you mention it… it sort of makes sense…” He looked at the statue. “So, we’re staying here right?” Flowey’s voice gained a bit of a light excitement. He immediately quelled the emotion, though he couldn’t help the small smile and brightness in his eyes. “Well, I guess we can stay here. But we do have to leave soon before Undyne finds us. But, um, you probably need your rest after walking for so long.”

Frisk smiled and nodded. “Mhm! It’s a pretty song.” She shut her eyes and continued to listen to the tune.

Eventually, a long eventually, Chara stated, _“We… should leave. Flowey’s asleep, by the way. This song always put him to sleep.”_ Chara threw a fond glance at the flower, whose head was bent, eyes closed, and breathing quiet and even.

Frisk slowly got to her feet. _“Okay,”_ she thought. _“I’ll try and be quiet.”_

The sweet song flowed through the tunnels. It was so calming and peaceful. She could stay there forever if she could…

Frisk back-tracked to the piano room. She sat down at the piano with Flowey on her lap and set their fingers on the keys. Despite her blindness, she’d long since memorized the keys of a piano. Frisk tapped the keys to the tune of her hum. _Do de do do do-de-do do, do de do do do-de-do do…_

 _Thunk!_ Frisk stopped humming and lifted her hands. A section of the wall to the north fell away. Flowey jolted and yawned. “Huh…? What… what happened?”

Frisk got up. “You fell asleep. I didn’t want to wake you up or anything.”

“Oh.” Flowey shook his head. “Sorry, uh… right. Yeah. So, treasure room. You opened the door. Let’s see what treasure is back there.”

Frisk swept into the plain, square room. The only object there was an altar holding a scarlet orb. The sign above it was faded. “Wow, this is difficult to read. Um… it’s a legendary artifact. Take it?”

Frisk nodded. Though she attempted to pick it up, she found that she couldn’t put it in her bag. Somehow, her bag was full. Frisk set down the orb and opened her bag. A little white dog was curled up within it. Frisk gently picked the little thing up. “Oh. Hello, there! What are you doing in my bag?” The dog opened its dark brown eyes and yawned. Upon seeing Frisk, its tail began to wag. It barked. Frisk set the little thing down with a pat. “There you go, little guy. I don’t know how you got in my bag, but you shouldn’t be there.” The dog barked again.

“Let’s just get that artifact,” Flowey persisted.

Frisk stood up straight and reached for it. The dog leaped upon the altar. It jumped onto the artifact and sank its entire weight into the ball. The dog phased through it and landed on the now empty stone altar. With a happy bark, it jumped down and raced out of the room. In its wake, a husk roughly shaped like a dog lay upon the altar. Chara stood beside her and tipped her head. “ _Dog Residue–Dog-shaped husk shed from a dog’s carapace._ ”

“Dog Residue…? Um? Okay?” Frisk picked up the residue. It collapsed into a hardened ball. Although it looked like it could flake apart, it stayed completely intact. Frisk turned and walked back down the tunnels.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "A field of echo flowers. They babble back and forth to each other until their words become meaningless noise. Creepy, huh?"
> 
> RIP coat. (lol)
> 
> Anyway, I'd been planning the grass scene since I found [this comic](https://www.pinterest.com/pin/126030489558568570/) ages ago. Lizard just fit so well with the title considering. Undyne is my absolute favorite character, so I'm super happy to write her! Honestly, if I tried to put in all the comics, videos, pictures, songs, stories, etc. that gave me inspiration and further knowledge on the world of Underfell, I'm pretty sure these notes would be longer than the chapter itself. Haha  
> BUT ANYWAY, TO THE MUSIC! I hadn't thought too much about it and really wasn't going to do much. Frisk would hum, Chara would join in, they'd go through it for a little while to memorize the pattern, and then they'd leave. But then I remembered "[Memory [UNDERTALE SPOILERS]](http://fav.me/d9q7sc6)" and I really liked it! I have so much with Chara's personality in canon, and much more in Underfell specifically. I really wanted this to be a special moment, considering the meaning that it has for all three of them.
> 
> Fun fact: I wanted to do a measure of the time that this playthrough would be (including times they napped at Toriel's or slept at the skelebro's house). Since this is one of my favorite songs in the game that not only loops but stays mellow and relaxed, I decided to go to sleep with Frisk loitering next to the statue all night and morning. I referenced this a little bit here, but honestly, the song has always made me a little sleepy. :P Also, I played the game for 2 days straight, leaving 24680 on the timer on "WOULD YOU SMOOCH A GHOST?" while I did normal people stuff. _Why do you think I have almost 400 hours in this game?_  
>  ~~Once I wanted to see how long I could push Sans' special attack and my computer fell asleep. lol~~


	14. Splash!

Farther into the tunnels, she saw that more water fell from the ceiling like rain. Large water puddles pooled in the ground. Frisk took another tan umbrella and strolled down the raining tunnel. She couldn’t help but look down at her rippling reflection. Flowey craned his neck so that he was as far away from the water as possible. “Can we keep moving?”

Frisk nodded and walked around the puddle. However, it didn’t take long before she splashed into a puddle. With a giggle, she began splashing through the puddles.

“What are you _doing?”_

Frisk stopped upon hearing MK’s voice. The young monster was tucked into a crevice where the water could not reach him.

“I’m playing in the puddles. Wanna join me?” Frisk prompted.

“I… why are you intentionally getting yourself wet?”

“Because it’s _fun!”_ Frisk called with a laugh. “Come on! Join me! You’ll have fun. Just try and jump from puddle to puddle to see if you can.”

“At least put me down first, please,” Flowey requested.

Frisk nodded and set Flowey down relatively out of the way with the umbrella over him. “See? Now I don’t have an umbrella, either!”

MK looked both ways down the tunnel before creeping out. He winced as water splattered off his spikes and ran down his scales and striped sweater. He jumped into the same large puddle that Frisk was in. Water splattered onto Frisk’s legs. The young human bounded from puddle to puddle. Monster Kid followed suit. Soon enough, the distrustful monster was laughing and chasing Frisk and splashing through puddles. His large feet were able to splash more water than Frisk’s dainty feet. Although he nearly tripped over himself multiple times, Frisk helped him keep his balance. Frisk nearly tripped over a rock at one point, though she found MK’s spiked tail helped keep her balance.

Eventually, the two soaked children found themselves too tired to keep going. So, they sat down in the dry crevice that MK had been sitting in previously.

Frisk took out the bicycle in their bag, snapped it in half, and offered the second piece to MK. “Want a snack?”

“Um, sure. Thanks.” He took the unicycle in his mouth and held the stick between his knees to eat it more easily.

MK looked around and then back at Frisk. “So, where’d you learn that you liked water so much?”

“Well, back home, it used to rain a lot,” Frisk answered. “So, when it rained, my sister and I would go splashing in the puddles. It was super fun.” _Rain… thunder… water… crying… fear… pain…_ “Don’t you guys do that?”

MK shook his head. “I live in Snowdin. Plus, my parents say that I have to be prepared to fight. So, I study for school and practice fighting most of the time. We don’t have too many opportunities to splash around in puddles.”

“Why are you here then?” Frisk inquired.

“I… ran away,” MK admitted. “I got tired of all this… practice fighting and studying. I heard about how Captain Undyne is such an amazing fighter. So, I thought I could follow her around and learn how to fight from _her_ rather than my _parents._ In training, my sister _always_ falls behind so it’s so frustrating trying to learn. She’s not a good fighter. My parents think she’s going to die as soon as she leaves the house. They never told us that, but we overheard them talking about it.”

“Oh dear! That’s _terrible!_ ” Frisk gasped. “Well, hopefully, you and your people don’t have to keep fighting. You and your sister will both live good lives!”

“…I went to that concert,” MK admitted. “Plenty of people did. I didn’t think I’d see a time where so many people were… _happy._ When people weren’t fighting. My mom said monsters are meant to fight. That’s why we don’t get along too well. Even my parents have… arguments a lot. So, how did you get that many monsters happy?” He turned his bright gaze on Frisk again.

Frisk smiled. “Music makes all sorts of people happy, of course! Shyren is super talented. She’ll make a lot of people smile.”

“Shyren doesn’t sing, though,” MK pointed out. “She’s too shy to.”

“Maybe she just needed some encouragement. After all, she was doing most of the singing,” Frisk pointed out. “You can feel really scared to do something. But sometimes, all you need is a little push. What do you want to do when you grow up?”

MK raised his eyebrows. “What?”

“Like, profession,” Frisk explained. “I want to be a dancer. What do you want to be?”

“…part of the Royal Guard,” Monster Kid admitted. “You know, no one’s really asked me that before. I’d like to fight alongside Captain Undyne and kick butt!”

Frisk laughed. “Well that sounds fun! Oh! Maybe we can catch her hunting down some bad guys and see her in action. Want to go find her?” _Just as long as it’s not me she’s fighting._

MK nodded enthusiastically. “Yeah! Let’s go!”

Frisk jumped up and grabbed Flowey and the umbrella. She held it out for Monster Kid to stand under as well. MK strolled alongside her, bright eyes flicking around the walls.

“You know, one time, the king came to our school,” MK informed her. “He insisted we called him ‘Mr. Dreemurr.’ He came to teach us about the barrier.”

“Really? The king came to your school?”

MK nodded. “Yeah! Doesn’t your king visit your school?”

Frisk shook her head. “No. So, what happened?”

“Well, he taught everyone about the barrier,” MK explained. “That we need seven human souls to break it. Then, once all the souls are taken, we’ll get to go out to the surface! We need to study really hard so that we’ll be smart enough to go there, too. Stupid people can’t go to the surface. Stupid or weak monsters will get killed. So, we have to be smart. Anyway, that got me thinking about Captain Undyne. What if she got to visit the school? We’d learn so much more about fighting than our gym teacher could ever teach us!” MK puffed out his chest.

Eventually, they emerged from the raining tunnel. They walked alongside a massive cliff. Crystals glimmered in the ceiling. Far away, a lighter blur in the distance showed off the castle. MK and Frisk stopped to look at the view. MK spoke up, “That’s the castle. The King rarely ever leaves it. Visiting the school was the first time he’s left in _years._ He hasn’t been outside since. The castle is pretty big. The city has the most monsters in the entire Underground.” MK turned and kept walking.

Frisk stayed by his side. “This place is really big.”

MK nodded. “Yeah. But it’s pretty small once you get used to it. There are so many monsters here, you know.”

Frisk frowned. “It’s kind of sad that there’s so many people here but it ends up in violence. Hopefully, that will change soon enough.”

They entered another raining tunnel.

“You’re too positive,” MK pointed out. “That’ll get you killed.”

Frisk shrugged. “If you’re not optimistic in a rough place, what can you be? Mad? Scared? I don’t like being mad or scared.”

They walked in silence for a few more feet. They passed an umbrella stand. A cliff just a little too tall for Frisk and MK to climb over stopped them. MK looked up. “This cliff is too steep… hmm… Say, you want to meet Captain Undyne, right? Go put that umbrella away and climb on my shoulders.”

“What about you?” Frisk inquired as she put the umbrella away.

“I’ll be okay. I can find another way around. I always do,” MK reassured her and knelt by the cliff. Frisk reached up and set Flowey down on the ledge. She carefully climbed onto MK’s shoulders and crawled onto the ledge. “See you later!” MK called.

“Good luck! See ya!” Frisk called back and waved. MK ran away.

“So… what was that about?” Flowey inquired.

Frisk held Flowey close to her chest as she walked. “What was what about?”

“Playing in the water and talking to that kid. We have a long way to go.”

Frisk shrugged. “He looked like he needed to have a nice time. He was pretty down. And I was right! Plus: it was really fun. You know what they say: it’s not about the destination, it’s about the journey! It’s nice to stop and smell the flowers every once in a while.” She chuckled at her small joke and went on, “Did you ever play like that as a kid?”

Flowey looked ahead and nodded. His tattered petals hid his face. “Yeah. I had another sibling. We’d go everywhere together and play. We had snowball fights, splashed in puddles, played hide-and-seek, and played tag… it was really fun. Oh, look. Some more signs.” Flowey perked up and looked at the signs. A glittering yellow light was between the two signs on the walls. Frisk’s fingers phased through the light.

_“Splashing in the puddles with a new friend fills you with determination.”_

Flowey craned his neck so that he could read. “‘The humans, fearing our power, declared war on us. They attacked suddenly, and without mercy.’ … ‘In the end, it could hardly be called a war. United, the humans were too powerful, and us monsters, too weak. Not a single soul was taken, and countless monsters turned to dust…’”

Frisk’s feet fell on a wooden floor. Below them were many paths of wooden walkways on different levels. “Aw. Well, most humans think they’re not real. So maybe, there won’t be another war. If we’re nice and monsters get along, then they definitely won’t have a reason to attack!”

Flowey couldn’t answer. As, although he tried, he cut himself off. A glowing blue circle ahead of them froze Frisk in her place. Another one popped up behind her. Another was to the side. Suddenly, a dozen circles surrounded her. Giant spears shot up as high as Frisk was tall before vanishing. Captain Undyne appeared below her.

Frisk and Flowey yelled in fright and raced away. The pathways were so confusing that she ran into many dead ends. When she did, spears raced up to meet her. Frisk’s drenched shoes splattered the ground and slowed her down. Chara ended up taking over and sped up her scared, cautious scramble to a confident sprint. Flowey attempted to whack away some of the blue dots before harm could come of them. However, his vines phased through the glowing blue circles rather than banished them. He didn’t touch them while a spear sprouted from them.

Eventually, Chara was able to get out of sight of the lower pathway in which Captain Undyne was on. Unfortunately, she appeared at a dead end. Chara turned and attempted to run back. The giant, haunting shape of Captain Undyne froze her in her tracks. They could only watch in open-mouthed, wide-eyed horror as Captain Undyne stalked forward. A straight line of spears appeared above her. They came down at the speed of bullets. The wood between them was splintered into smithereens. Frisk and Flowey shrieked as the wooden trail dropped, bringing them with it. Chara, having no sense of gravity, held onto Frisk. Captain Undyne watched them fall before turning and stalking off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> " _What?_ You're at my _favorite spot?!_ You'd better jump in at least a thousand puddles for me!"
> 
> For some strange reason, I kept thinking that the puddles in Waterfall after that statue were like mirrors with flavor text and everything? Probably got it from [this](http://mcsiggy.tumblr.com/post/135284892073/i-thought-this-would-be-really-cool-to-see-in-the)...
> 
> I'm slightly surprised MK didn't remark in canon about the puddles and how splashable they were.


	15. Falling Water

_“It sounds like it came from over here… Oh! You’ve fallen down, haven’t you… Are you okay? Here… get up. What's your name? … Chara, huh? That’s a nice name. My name i s .  .  .”_

 

Frisk opened her blurry eyes and got up. She put a hand to her head with a groan. Beneath her, she could feel the soft petals and stems of golden flowers. Frisk coughed and looked around. “Flowey?” There was no response. “Flowey? Flowey! Where are you? Can you hear me?!” She scrambled to her feet.

“H-here!” Flowey wheezed and sputtered. Flowey’s head just barely appeared over the lip of the water. His vines wrapped tightly around some waterlogged shards of the wooden planks they had once stood upon. However, each time a vine attempted to pull Flowey up, the rotten, waterlogged wood snapped and only pulled him further into the water.

Frisk immediately dropped to the flowery ground and picked up Flowey. He let go of the planks. However, when Frisk pulled him out, the boot vanished into the water. Flowey’s roots became exposed. His vines vanished. Frisk sucked in her breath. “Oh dear!”

“It’s alright,” Flowey denied. “Leave it. That old boot was soggy anyway.”

“If you want. But, how will you move? You can’t swim,” Frisk pointed out.

“Um… hmm… how about this?” Flowey stretched out his roots. Vines popped out of his stem. They wrapped around Frisk’s upper arm. “Now you don’t have to carry me!”

“Oh, that’s so cool! Too bad we didn’t think of this earlier.”

“Yep. But, uh, it isn’t that comfortable,” Flowey stated and looked around.

Frisk nodded. “You’re a bit vulnerable there, if we find a monster. Maybe we can get something like a bag or backpack or something? You can stay hidden if you need to, but help if you can, as well!”

“Hmm… well, whatever it is, this is the best place to find it,” Flowey stated. “We’re in the dump.”

“The dump?” Frisk echoed and began to hop from fractured plank piece to plank piece.

Flowey nodded. “Yeah. Trash from the surface falls down through the waterfall here. Monsters pick over it and that’s how we got a lot of technology.”

Frisk nodded. A golden glimmer sparkled from between two trash heaps under a waterfall. The current tugged at her legs as Frisk, up to her waist in water, waded over to the golden sparkle.

_“Viewing this endless cycle of useless garbage, it fills you with determination.”_

Frisk hopped off the piece of wooden platform. She ended up in the river. Frisk gasped and stumbled as the current threw off her balance and tugged her away. However, she straightened herself out before Flowey could intervene. The dump, which was a collection of water and muted shades of garbage, lay behind her. Before her was a waterfall that fell into the black. Frisk tipped her head. The sound of rushing water faded as it fell. “What’s this?”

“A waterfall,” Flowey explained. “It falls into a bottomless pit. Literally no one knows where it goes. Whatever falls down here _never_ returns.”

“Really?” Frisk looked over the bottomless pit. They were reminded of the pit that they’d encountered. It was so deep they couldn’t see the bottom. Anything that fell down there couldn’t survive. It would never be seen again…

“Frisk?” Frisk was jolted out of their thoughts by Flowey. “Are you okay?”

“Huh? Yeah. Sorry. Just lost in thought.”

“Well, okay. We need to go find something in the dump for me to travel in,” Flowey reminded her, his voice a bit slower and tinged with concern.

“Okay. Then, maybe we could find something useful here.” She pulled out things from the garbage heaps at Flowey’s command. She had to go through multiple garbage heap piles, often climbing on top of them, before finding what they wanted. A small blue backpack with one zipper to open it and a pouch on the side to hold a water bottle was pulled from the trash. It was relatively intact, so it could hold some dirt. “Now all we have to do is find some dirt.”

“ _Dry_ dirt, please,” Flowey requested.

Frisk nodded as she threw the backpack over one shoulder. “Of course. I hope we find it soon!”

Flowey nodded. “Yeah. Let’s hope so. Let’s get out of here as soon as possible. I’m beginning to lose feeling in my roots.”

“Got it!” Frisk jumped off the trash heap with a large splash. Flowey pulled himself out of the way of the splash. Frisk was soaked up to the chest, now.

Eventually, she found a mobile cooler with two packets of astronaut food in them. The only reason it didn’t float away was due to the fact that its old handle was stuck under some heavy garbage. Frisk collected both packets and continued to wade through the tunnel. At the end, she could see an incline out of the water and to a new place. A dummy stood next to the last pile of garbage. It looked quite similar to the one in the Ruins. Frisk stopped and looked at it for a few moments. Then, she turned and continued on. A hearty _splash_ alerted her to something behind her. Frisk jumped and spun around. Flowey narrowed his eyes. “It’s gone.”

The water ahead of them burst. The dummy launched itself from the water between them and the incline, gaining their attention. It hovered roughly a foot or two above the water. “Hahaha… too intimidated to fight me, huh? I am the ghost that lives inside of a dummy! My cousin used to live inside a dummy too. Until… YOU CAME ALONG! YOU… you…. you… well, I blame you! HUMAN! I will scare your soul out of your body!”

Frisk’s soul appeared before her. Mad Dummy blocks the way!

_“Mad Dummy–Attack 30, Defense YES. HP ??? Because they’re a ghost, physical attacks will fail.”_

“Foolish. Foolish! FOOLISH!” Mad Dummy cried. Little dummies were summoned around her. They threw wads of cotton at her. Flowey gasped and helped her wade from side to side. Unfortunately, the water slowed her movements. She had to duck and hop away many times. Water dripped from her hair and streamed down her face. Mad Dummy hissed in pain as the brunt of the magic attacks hit him. He shuttered and growled. “OWWWW, you dummies! Watch where your aiming your _magic_ attacks!” Mad Dummy’s eyes flew open. “Human! F-forget I said anything about magic!”

Mad Dummy looks nervous.

Frisk took a step back and held up her hands. “I’m not fighting you.” Mad Dummy cackled and summoned more dummies. Frisk’s soul began to crack in multiple places as the magic attacks hit her. Mad Dummy barked in hate as his own magic attacks hit him.

“I’ll take your soul and cross the barrier myself!” Mad Dummy cackled and summoned more dummies. Frisk’s soul began to crack further as more attacks hit them. More attacks hit the dummy as well.

Mad Dummy barked, “I’ll get to sit in the window of a fancy store!” This time he began to move. That didn’t stop Frisk from tricking its dummies into hitting him. “THEN ALL I WANT WILL BE MINE!” Frisk dodged a few more attacks. Unfortunately, they didn’t hit the dummy. “Yeah, I guess that’ll avenge my cousin,” the ghost muttered, mainly to himself. Dummies began to launch themselves at her. They splashed into the water at quite a high speed. Cracks formed in Frisk’s soul as she attempted to dodge and trick the magic attacks.

Mad Dummy shuttered as he was hit again. “What was their name again…?” Most of the next attack was the dummies that launched themselves at Frisk. “Whatever. Whatever! WHATEVER!” Mad Dummy barked. Frisk gasped and ducked as more attacks sped at her. Mad Dummy growled as more magic attacks hit him. “Futile. Futile! FUTILE!” Mad Dummy screamed. Unfortunately for the dummy, the dummies missed Frisk completely and hit him again with quite a bit of force.

“Hey guys!” The dummies appeared. “Dummies. Dummies! DUMMIES! Remember how I said not to shoot at me? Well… FAILURES! YOU’RE ALL FIRED! YOU’RE BEING REPLACED!” The miniature dummies slowly retreated from the battle area. “Hahaha. Hahaha! HAHAHA! Now you’ll see my _true_ power: relying on people who aren’t garbage!” Mechanical whirrs began to fill the room. “Dummy bots! Magic Missile!”

Mechanical dummies popped out of the ground. Missiles were launched. When Frisk dodged, they followed her. She squeaked and ran around. Eventually, the missiles ran out of fuel and crashed into Mad Dummy. “Dummy bots! Try again!” he barked. The mechanical bots appeared and shot at her. The missiles missed completely and hit Mad Dummy. He shuttered and asked in surprise, “Dummy bots? You’re awful?” The dummy bots missed again. “Grr–! Dummy bots! Final attack!”

The older dummy-bombs appeared and launched themselves at Frisk. They missed. Dummy bots appeared all around them. Frisk yelped and attempted to run into a circle. Although most flew off to hit Mad Dummy, quite a few hit Frisk. She staggered to a stop as the last of the missiles left. Oh, she didn’t feel too good…

“N… no way,” Mad Dummy hissed to himself. “These guys are even _worse_ than the other guys!” Mad Dummy snarled and raised his voice in a bark, “Who cares. Who cares! WHO CARES! I DON’T NEED FRIENDS! I’VE GOT KNIVES!” A knife appeared beside him and launched itself at Frisk. She side-stepped the attack. Mad Dummy hesitated. “I’m… out of knives.” He hissed and raised his voice, “But that doesn’t matter! YOU CAN’T HURT ME, AND I CAN’T HURT YOU! YOU’LL BE STUCK FIGHTING ME… Forever. Forever! FOREVER!” Mad Dummy cackled and laughed maniacally. Eventually, raindrops fell from above. The dummy shuttered and shook himself as the drops hit him. “Wh… what the hell is this?! Ergh! Acid rain?! Oh, forget it. I’m outta here!” Mad Dummy slipped away.

Napstablook phased through the roof and came into existence before Frisk, who held Flowey, in the waist-deep water. “heh… he ran pretty quickly, didn’t he? as soon as i came over, he immediately left. he looked like he was having fun. huh. i wanted to say hi.”

Frisk’s cracked soul phased back into her body.

Napstablook went on, “well… i’m going to head home now. feel free to follow me if you want. you don’t have to.” He hovered up the incline.

Frisk hurried to follow him onto dry land. The next room was large with three tunnels to the top, one to the left, and one to the right. A large pool was in the center of the room. A glimmer appeared just before her. Napstablook hovered before the middle tunnel near the top of the room. “my house’s up here if you feel like coming.” He turned and phased through the door of the house farther into the room. Frisk touched the glimmer.

_“The calm tranquility of the area fills you with determination.”_

“Do you think we should visit?” Frisk questioned as she knelt beside the pool.

Flowey slipped into the ground. “I don’t know… I don’t see any reason to do so.”

Frisk dug up dirt with her stick and poured it into the backpack. “It might be nice to talk to him.”

“You like to talk to everybody,” Flowey pointed out.

The young human chuckled. “Yeah, I kind of do.” She rinsed off her hands in the small pool and gently put on the backpack. She zipped up either side so that the dirt wouldn’t spill out the sides. “But Flowey, if we’re nice to people… do you think they’ll be nice back? That we can make a difference?”

“…I wouldn’t hold my breath,” Flowey started slowly. “I mean, these guys are really stubborn. This has been going on for hundreds of years. But, we met Napstablook in the Ruins and already talked to him, so he probably isn’t going to randomly kill us. Probably. Hopefully.” Flowey’s vines picked him up into the backpack, where he planted himself. “Not bad.”

Frisk smiled, got to her feet, and wandered around the pool. She started to go to Napstablook’s house when they found another house at the top left. Frisk, interested, walked into this small area. A house the shape of a giant fish head dominated the space. The two windows and door even looked like narrowed eyes and sharp teeth. Little fins popped up the sides. Fins cropped up from the top all the way to the bottom. A tail slipped out from behind the house. Mad Dummy was in a short training area in the front. “I wonder who lives here.”

Flowey narrowed his eyes. “I don’t know, and I have a feeling I don’t want to. Let’s go before the owner catches us.”

Frisk nodded, turned, and strolled out of the small area. Napstablook’s house, which was immediately next door, was interesting. It was in the shape of Napstablook, being a slightly curved, rounded cylinder. A little roof was on the top and a window somewhere on it. A second house right next to it was bent in the opposite direction. Napstablook’s was blue and the one next door was pink.

Frisk rolled up their pant sleeves, set her shoes outside, and then looked around the house as they entered. It was small with a fridge to one corner, a TV next to it, and a computer next to that on the corner. Three CDs lay on the floor in the southern end of the room. Upon entering, she disturbed Napstablook, who was at his computer. “oh. decided to come, eh? i wasn’t expecting that. meh. make yourself at home. just… try not to touch anything.” He turned around and continued to scroll through whatever was on the computer. He stole glances at the young human and the flower on occasion.

Frisk approached the TV. All knobs but one were dusty and unused. The relatively used one was labeled “POWER ON/OFF”. Napstablook looked at the TV. “that’s my tv. i like to watch a show on it, occasionally.”

Frisk looked over to his computer. “What are you up to?”

“huh? just on a music sharing site,” Napstablook answered. “it’s full of crap. someone should put something decent on there. may as well be me.”

Frisk smiled. “You make music? Can I listen to some?”

“there are a few cds over there. go nuts. just, don’t break them.” Napstablook turned back to the computer.

Frisk knelt beside the CDs. “Ghouliday Music,” “Spookwave,” and “Spooktunes.” Of all three of them, the scratchy, haunting tune of “Spookwave” was her favorite.

Napstablook looked back as Frisk had stood up. “spookwave, huh?”

Frisk nodded. “Mhm! You made them yourself, right?”

Napstablook nodded. “yeah. they’re good. hey, uh… did you want something to eat?”

The young human perked up. “Oh! Sure. Thank you!”

Napstablook hovered over to his fridge. Frisk was close behind him. Flowey watched the ghost in suspicion. “here. this is a ghost sandwich.” The translucent sandwich hovered before her. Frisk attempted to grab it. She phased right through it. “oh. guess it only works with ghosts. oh well.” He put it back into his fridge. “after a good meal, i like to lay down and contemplate on what our family has done. it’s a family tradition. do you want to join me?”

“Oh! Sure!” Frisk agreed immediately. “I’ve never heard of a tradition like that before.”

“…alright.” Napstablook hovered to the middle of the floor and lay down. Frisk set down the backpack with Flowey next to Napstablook and lay down beside Flowey. “just lay down. get up whenever you want to.”

Frisk stared up at the ceiling without a word. Eventually, the room began to fall away. Stars of the night sky shifted above as if they were a reflection on calm ocean water. The stars reflected in Napstablook’s eyes. Flowey’s head was tipped back as well. He watched the “sky” above with round eyes.

Frisk lost track of how long she lay there, contemplating her decisions and watching the shifting night sky above. However, Frisk had to get up. She needed to get to the king as soon as possible. The young human stiffly got to her feet. The night sky fell away. It was promptly replaced with the house. She put on her backpack again.

Napstablook looked at Frisk. “well… that was nice.” He turned and floated back to his computer.

“Well, we have to go now. Bye!” Frisk waved at Napstablook. He gave them a short “’bye” in return.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The garbage dump! So many great things come from there! The only reason we have modern technology is 'cause of all the human junk that flows from the surface! Plus, it's a _great_ place to meet girls!"
> 
> Ugh, Mad Dummy. Trying to get his name yellow in the credits was a pain in the rear. Trying to no-hit was hard, the bandage/stick challenge was a pain, and I aborted the no-save challenge here. I can't imagine what it would be like to have the effects of being mostly submerged in water! Thankfully Napstablook was there. Who knows what else could have broken that stalemate. ~~I wonder if Alphys was going to dump any time soon.~~


	16. Shopkeeper

“That was… strange,” Flowey commented as they left.

Frisk put her shoes back on again. “Yeah. But it was fun. That reminds me. I should talk to Pap. We haven’t called in a while. We could talk about that monster who’s trying to kill us!”

“Are you kidding me?” Flowey asked. “We shouldn’t talk to him more than necessary.”

“Well, um, this is sorta necessary,” Frisk pointed out. “We were just attacked!”

Flowey sighed deeply. “Give me the phone.”

“Thanks!” Frisk squeaked and pulled out the electronic device.

 _Brriiing, Briii–_ “HELLO? THIS IS PAPYRUS!”

“Hello, Papyrus!” Frisk purred.

“HUMAN! YOU HAVE CALLED ON YOUR OWN!” Papyrus crowed. “GOOD JOB!”

Frisk beamed. “Really? So, you aren’t bothered that I called?”

“NOT AT ALL! CALL ME WHENEVER YOU WISH. I’LL TELL YOU IF I’M BUSY. NOW, WAS THERE SOMETHING YOU WISHED TO ASK?”

Frisk hesitated and then nodded. “Huh? Oh! Right! Hehe. Well, I was just wondering about your monster friend–the one in the armor.”

“CAPTAIN UNDYNE?” Papyrus prompted.

Frisk nodded. “Mhm. Well, we just ran away from her again. What does her house look like? We just saw this empty house in the shape of a fish.”

“YOU’RE AT CAPTAIN UNDYNE’S HOUSE?” Caution edged his voice.

“Not really. I mean, we were. But we were only visiting Napstablook. Flowey kind of rushed me away. Why?” Frisk prompted.

“I WOULD STRONGLY ADVISE THAT YOU DO NOT VISIT HER AT HER HOME,” Papyrus stated. “SHE IS VERY UNFRIENDLY IF SHE FAILS AT SOMETHING. IF YOU GOT AWAY FROM HER, THEN SHE WILL BE IN A VERY FOUL MOOD.”

“Oh, I get it. What happens if I don’t get away?”

“SHE’LL KILL YOU INSTANTANEOUSLY.”

“Oh.” Frisk hesitated. “That doesn’t sound good. Say, do you visit her often? Are you friends?”

“FRIENDS? …WE’RE NOT AS MUCH _FRIENDS_ AS SHE IS MY _SUPERIOR_ ,” Papyrus replied. “FEW PEOPLE MAKE GOOD FRIENDS HERE, HUMAN. MOST RELATIONSHIPS ARE ROMATIC OR BETWEEN RELATIVES. TELL ME, HUMAN, DO YOU HAVE YOUNGER SIBLINGS?” Papyrus prompted.

Frisk hesitated. “Um… one… I h-ha… have an older sister. I was always the trouble maker, though.” Frisk chuckled. “I was the one who seemed to stumble into all sorts of things. You don’t know how many things I’ve broken and fights I’ve picked purely on accident and how Cammie had to pick up after me so much. She never told Dad if I broke anything, though. If she couldn’t fix it, she’d just tell him that she’d broken it.” Her smile left her.

“OH? I ASSUME THAT YOU ARE BETTER BEHAVED NOW. I NOTICED, OF COURSE, THAT YOU HAVE GOOD BEHAVIOR FOR A YOUNG HUMAN. IT WOULD ONLY MAKE SENSE THAT A GOOD SISTER WOULD FOLLOW!”

“Thanks!” Frisk hummed. “Sorta. I mean, I was a bit of a brat at first. Most of what I did was on accident. But then I got mad because of the ‘accidents’ and people blaming me. You know how it is. I hate being treated differently. But it’s okay, now. I’ve kind of accepted it. Flowey’s helping me a lot, too. Since I don’t have Cammie, I kind of need someone else.” Frisk smiled at Flowey. “And Flowey’s an awesome friend.”

“YOU DON’T HAVE ‘CAMMIE?’ WHAT HAPPENED?”

Frisk’s smile vanished. “Uh, what? Did I say ‘I don’t have her?’ Silly me. I’m in the Underground. So, I don’t really have anyone from the surface. Hehe. It kind of works that way when you fall into a one-way trap, eh?”

“…OF COURSE.”

“Thanks so much for talking to me, Papyrus!” Frisk purred. “You’re a great friend!”

“I’M A–WELL, OF COURSE! I AM THE GREAT PAPYRUS! I CAN BE GREAT AT ANYTHING! INCLUDING BEING A COOL FRIEND. IF YOU NEED ANYTHING ELSE, YOU MAY CALL ME!”

“Thanks! I’ll talk to you later!” _Click._

“What was that about?” Flowey prompted.

“Nothing,” Frisk replied. “I just, uh, wanted to talk to him for a bit. We’re friends, right? I am a bit hungry, though. Good thing I grabbed those snacks from the cooler.”

Frisk sat down against the wall and pulled out on the packets of astronaut food. It wasn’t too big, so she was able to eat it as a snack. However, as soon as she ate it, the signature freeze-dried-astronaut-food-taste hit her. She dropped the bag and put a hand on her mouth.

“Whoa! Are you okay?” Flowey gasped and looked over the packet.

Frisk forced herself to swallow the snack. “Blegh. N-not… not eating th-that again.” She bit her tongue to keep herself from throwing it back up again.

Flowey snatched the extra packet as well as the trash from the first and stuck it in one of the larger pockets in the backpack. “Well, let’s rest up a bit. Don’t go eating anything you find in the _garbage_.”

Frisk nodded. “L-lesson learned.” Eventually, after some deep breaths and not moving, Frisk stood up again. “That was fun. So! Uh, what’s down here?” She walked down to the right side of the room, through the tunnel. To the north was a door and to the south a tunnel branching off from the main one. A little trans dimensional box sat on the right of the door. Frisk and Flowey peeked down the tunnel to the south. It just led to a river. When they entered the door to the north, they entered the shop of an elderly tortoise.

“Wah-hah-hah!” the elderly monster laughed. “Look at what we have here–a little human kid, hmm? Whatcha doin’ here, kid?”

“Oh! I was just curious,” Frisk informed him. “What do you have here?”

The tortoise waved his old hand. “Take a look.”

Flowey looked over the items and prices. “Crab apples are 25g, which heals you of course. Sea Tea–which makes you faster?–is 18g. Some clouded glasses are 30g and the torn notebook is worth 55g. Since we don’t need any of them, let’s go.”

“Um… okay. How are you doing, Mister?” Frisk prompted. Flowey rolled his eyes.

“I’m Gerson, formerly known as the Hammer of Justice!” Gerson announced. “What’s your name, little one?”

“I’m Frisk! Frisk Foster!” She puffed out her chest happily. “Um… I don’t have a title. Haha. Are you a hero?”

“I was,” the tortoise answered. “I fought so long ago. But these old bones aren’t meant for fightin’. Not anymore. Captain Undyne, though! She’s the hero, now.”

“She is?” Frisk tipped her head. “She must be really honored!”

Gerson nodded. “Oh yes. I remember when she was just a little urchin. She’s come a long way since then. She used to follow me around when she was little and watch me beat up bad guys. She’d even try to help! Sometimes they weren’t actually bad guys. But I appreciated it! Wah-hah-hah!”

“Oh wow. You were a guard? That’s so cool!” Frisk gasped. “You must know a lot about history, right?”

Gerson nodded. “Yeah. It’s easy learning history when you’ve lived most of it! Wah-hah-hah!”

 _“Ask him about that emblem,”_ Chara advised.

“So, you know what that emblem is?”

“Eh? You don’t know what that is? That's the _Delta Rune_ , the emblem of our kingdom. The Kingdom… of Monsters. Wah-hah-hah! Great name, huh?” Gerson smirked.

Frisk nodded. “What does it mean? Do you know?”

Gerson nodded. “Oh. That emblem actually predates written history. The original meaning has been lost to time… All we know is that the triangles symbolize us monsters below, and the winged circle above symbolizes… Somethin’ else. Most people say it's the ‘angel,’ from the prophecy…”

“The prophecy?”

“Oh yeah… The prophecy. Legend has it, an ‘angel’ who has seen the surface will descend from above and bring us freedom. Lately, the people have been taking a bleaker outlook… Callin’ that circle the ‘Angel of Death.’ A harbinger of destruction, waitin’ to ‘free’ us from this mortal realm.”

Frisk frowned. “That’s sad. Well, I know that’s not true! Everyone will be free one day! Just have hope!”

Gerson gave them a soft smile. “I wish more people would have your heart, kid. You have spunk. I appreciate that. Wah-hah-hah.”

Frisk smiled. “Thanks, Mr. Gerson. …you’ve been really nice to me. Do you know why other monsters have been mean? Like the whole ‘kill or be killed’ thing?”

Gerson thought for a moment. “Well, there used to be peace. But it’s been so long, I can’t remember what broke it! Wah-ha-ha! Come back much later and I’ll probably remember.”

 Suddenly, Gerson lost his smile. “But I know what happened after. Soon, the Underground just… fell apart. We got some heroes out there–like Undyne–but bad things happen. There’s one rule that everyone knows,” Gerson stated, peering down at Frisk behind his counter. “A child never gets hurt. Tussle with adults all you want. Challenge yer elders, though that ain’t so smart. But never let harm come to a child. Even the child of someone you don’t like. I’ve seen monsters risk their lives snatchin’ a kid out the way of an avalanche or pluck ’em from a cliff or fishin’ ’em from a lake or waterfall. It reminds me of the days when I was spry, when I was a fighter, when there didn’t need to be fighters.”

Frisk thought for a moment. “Then… then why do monsters attack me?”

“Yer a human,” Gerson answered simply. “They believe they need yer soul to destroy the barrier an’ free us all.”

“Would things be different if monsters have hope?”

Gerson let out a long breath. “Your reputation precedes ya, kid. If ya manage to bring back hope to the Underground… well… try yer best. I’ve got a bit of advice for ya: Don’t fight, but don’t lay down an’ take it. Monsters respect bravery more than a punchin’ bag. If ya gain their respect, if ya stand up ta them but don’t raise a weapon to them, it’ll be easier to gain their trust. When you defeat someone but don’t raise yer weapon, that’s a sign of a’ respect an’ trust. Ya trust they won’t attack again, but ya respect ’em enough to let ’em keep their weapon.”

Frisk nodded. “That… makes sense. Okay. I’ll do that. Thank you, Mr. Gerson! You have a great day! …actually, may I have a crab apple, please?”

“Sure thing, kid. Actually, you’ve been such a treat. One on the house,” Gerson offered.

Frisk grinned and gently took the crab-shaped food from him. “Thank you, sir!”

“You’re welcome! Wah-hah-hah. Be careful out there, kid!” he warned.

“I will. Thanks!” Frisk waved and strode out of the shop. When they inspected the crab apple, they found it to look quite a bit like a crab.

“Why?” Flowey prompted.

“I like apples!” Frisk answered. “Besides, I need to get that awful taste out of my mouth. Blegh.” The apple tasted like a very juicy crab as well as looked like it. It was still sticky like an apple, though. “Mr. Gerson was really fun to talk to, as well. You always have to be respectful to your elders.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Like I always say: King Fluffbuns can't name for beans!"
> 
> Gerson is a good tortoise. He's very wise. Being one of three ~~known~~ monsters to have been on the surface and through the war and survived to current day, he's one of the few that remembers the joys of before. Unfortunately, his more cheerful outlook is far too rare, even among the ancient war heroes like himself and the boss monsters. With Toriel huddled in the Ruins losing herself to her fears and imaginations and the king staying huddled in his castle, it's a wonder Gerson isn't completely mad or lost in the modern, negative beliefs of the other monsters.


	17. The Room Before the Darkening Lantern Room

Frisk walked back down the trail. Echo flowers cropped up along the rivers and waterfalls. For now, they were quiet. They whispered to one another in fields of bioluminescent grass and flowers and crystals.

Flowey perked up as they nearly passed the sign. “Here’s another few signs. Want me to read them?”

Frisk nodded as she finished off her apple. “Yes, please.” She took out the trash from her astronaut food, stuffed the apple core in it, and set it back in their backpack.

Flowey looked over the text. “‘Hurt, beaten, and fearful for our lives, we surrendered to the humans. Seven of their greatest magicians sealed us underground with a magic spell. Anything can enter through the seal, but only beings with a powerful soul can leave.’ … ‘There is only one way to reverse this spell. If a huge power, equivalent to seven human souls, attacks the barrier… It will be destroyed.’” Flowey urged her on again. “There’s a river here. Be careful. It isn’t that deep, though.”

Frisk nodded and slipped into the water. The rush of the waterfall’s current tugged at her legs. _“Who’s there?” “Something moved, I swear it.” “It’s so very cold…” “Someone will come.” “Please don’t come near!” “Help! Help me!” “No! Run away! GET AWAY!” “I’ll kill you! I swear it!”_

Frisk stopped and looked around. The voices came from every which direction–even above and below them. She was so distracted in her search that she couldn’t even register Flowey’s vine squeezing her wrist. “Frisk?” _“The water is too quick. We can’t cross.” “These flowers are everywhere…” “Someone’s listening…” “Do you think we’re safe?” “I’m not going to make it… it’s so cold…” “Behind the waterfall! Please!” “we’re all going to die.”_

Frisk clamped her hands over her ears and shook her head. “N-no! No! Quiet! Be quiet!” _“Solp’s the’e?e!ening…” “Do! Rthininmoved, sAW?ar it.” “It’elsoHery me!dto die.” “Sekieyoe!wilatoaret!Please!” “NleaRu flon’t somETery!AY!ere…”_ “Shut up! Shut up!” _“It’elo! Herye?e…!” “ToeRefdowryomET AWAY!ere…” “I’lsmloynu!scsweanit…!” “I’me wateringtovequick. Wit’itan’tcooss.”_

The voices seemed to grow louder and louder the longer she stayed. “Stop it! Stop!” _“NehRuflowery!arfallveWAhere…” “So’rillane **’sinstenidit…!” “Be yse doinwwe’relnefe?ase!” “Thenotfloringtooreaick it… it’reso cros…” “Sohintflthe wsterd,ll! PLEASETRE…” “PE’P! HDON’NEOMDIEEAR!”**_

“SHUT UP! GET AWAY!” Frisk cried and, head down, eyes closed and hands over her ears, attempted to run in a random direction. She couldn’t see anything. She couldn’t hear anything beyond the screaming flowers. When she attempted to run in the direction of the river, something snapped at her ankles and chest. Frisk staggered back and bolted in the opposite direction. Immediately she was drenched as she ran straight into the waterfall. She tripped over a rock and landed heavily within the confines of a small cave. Flowey’s backpack hit the wall with a heavy _thump._ Frisk scrambled to get as far away from the waterfall as possible. The voices were masked beneath the rushing water. Even then, they were starting to quiet down.

Frisk whimpered and curled up into herself. Tears rolled down her cheeks and smudged her soaked clothes. For a while, the only noise within the waterfall-cave was her choking and gasping. Water attempted to trickle into her nose and mouth from her soaked hair. She just snorted or coughed and wiped the water away with one of her hands.

Eventually, when Frisk’s sobs had toned down to tiny sniffles and whimpers, Flowey piped up in a quiet voice, “Frisk?” Frisk opened her eyes but did not raise her head. “Hey, Frisk. Hey it’s alright. We’re past the terrible part.”

“How many?” Frisk whimpered.

“Oh, I’m sure we’re past the two biggest,” Flowey encouraged. “This is one of the worst ones, actually. When we get outside, make sure to keep out of the water as much as you can.”

“Half of this place is water,” Frisk mumbled.

“I know, I know,” the flower agreed. “But plenty of it is still firm land. We can get through that. Right?”

Frisk nodded. “Y-yeah. We can. I… I don’t want to be here anymore. C-can we go back to Sans’ and Papyrus’ house?”

Flowey shook his head. “No. I’m sorry. Besides, we’d have to go back through both flower patches to get there, wouldn’t we?”

The child nodded. “Y-yeah. Yeah.”

“Now, once you’re feeling up to it, we can get up and leave. Once we leave this area behind, we won’t have to come back. The flowers can’t yell at us if we’re far enough away,” Flowey pointed out with a serene smile.

Frisk slowly nodded. “I… I understand.” She looked up to the waterfall. “B-but I don’t want to go out again. Th-they’ll just be there!”

“Not if you stay out of the water,” Flowey pointed out. “It’s just this river that’s the worse. Around us, there are a few more along with the marshy area. But the farther away you get, the longer it takes to wake them up and more difficult it gets to hear them. On dry land, it’ll take a long, long time to get them to start talking loud enough for you to hear them. It’s going to be okay, Frisk. I promise.”

Frisk got to her shaky feet and picked up Flowey. She ducked under the waterfall and ran out of the short river as quickly as she could. The flowers grumbled upon feeling the water disturbed but quickly became quiet again. Frisk hesitated as another sign was upon the wall. Flowey read, “‘But this cursed place has no entrances or exits. There is no way a human could come here. We will remain trapped down here forever.’”

When they crossed the next river, they met a very dark place. Glowing mushrooms littered the place. A short trail of glowing grass led to a dull clump of mushrooms. Frisk touched the mushrooms. They squeaked and glowed. Another thin trail of grass began to glow. She followed this one as well. Another mushroom clump popped up. By the time she got to the fourth one, she hit a dead end. However, when she turned back to retrace her steps, she took a few too many steps south. Her feet hit even ground unlit by bioluminescent grass. The thin trail led straight into the door in the cave wall.

“Er… I have a bad feeling about this…” Flowey warned, eyes flitting around. They arrived within a deep red and brown walled room. Or, rather, a village. Many houses expanded the southern side. In the northern side was a door with a giant sign reading “TEM SHOP” above it. Multiple identical monsters crowded the place. All of them looked like small white dogs with cat tails, faces, and paws. Two cat ears popped up the top of their heads while two dog ears drooped from the sides. Long, dark brown hair fell over the sides of their faces and tied back in tight buns behind their heads. Their tiny white bodies were wrapped up in black suits and red ties. As soon as Frisk and Flowey entered the place, all deep maroon eyes were on them. Even the red and white mushroom far away was tilted as it turned to face them.

The nearest temmie looked up at them with round, innocent eyes and a great kitten grin. “Hoi!” they called. “I’m Temmie!”

“Hello, Temmie!” Frisk purred.

The temmie beside the first piped up, “I’m Temmie, too! This is my friend: Temmie!” They tipped their head toward the friend beside them. Soon, all dozen of the tems were introducing themselves as Temmie. The last tem, the one sitting idly beside a small picket sign leading to the shop, turned their head to look at them. A dazed, far-away look fell over the semi-isolated tem’s deep maroon eyes. “I’m Bob.”

The first one, tail waving back and forth with the energy of Lesser Dog, piped up, “You should visit the Tem Shop!” All at once, all of the tems cheered and agreed and bounced around. Bob slowly nodded his head. Somehow, the action dizzied him so his head flopped to the side and rested against the picket sign.

“The Tem Shop?” Frisk prompted. “Cool! Flowey, can we go?”

Flowey looked around at the tems. “I don’t know. This place really creeps me out.”

The first one’s grin widened. Fangs hinted just below the tem’s lips. “Visit Tem Shop!”

The second crowed, “Yes! All supplies a traveler needs! In Tem Shop!”

Flowey leaned back so that his petals brushed Frisk’s chin. “I don’t like this. We should probably go back up the trail.” Frisk’s heart beat sped up. Quite suddenly, the cute array was becoming much too suffocating with their large numbers and their overly happy grins that bared too many teeth.

It was too late, however. In their excitement, the tems had crowded around them. The trail leading out was blocked by a good half dozen tems. The one who first greeted them tipped their head. A sadness fell over them. “You no… no visit Tem Shop?” The excitement from the rest of the tems fell quicker than a stone from a cliff. “But… we invited you! To Tem Shop!”

Flowey’s gaze darted back and forth. “Fine. Let’s… uh… let’s just look and see what they have.” The tems cheered and backed off to give them a path to a door in the wall.

Frisk walked forward. Eventually, they passed up Bob and turned into the Tem Shop. The excited tems bounced around outside.

The shop was colorful and inviting with all shades of red and gold. All of them were no darker than the deep red of a slightly wilted rose or deep yellow of a pyrite nugget. Even those were only used as small, intricate designs to pop out of the hot pinks and sunny yellows of the wall and counter decorations. “TEM SHOP” was scrawled in childish writing on the sign.

“Hoi! Welcome to… Tem Shop!” The tem behind the counter flashed them a grand smile. A gold monocle decorated their right eye. Otherwise, they were dressed like the other tems. “What would you like, Traveler?”

Flowey piped up, “Tem Flakes–10g. Premium Tem Flakes–20g. Tem Drink–35g. Tem University–1,000g.”

“Tem Drink good with… Tem Flakes! Tem also buys items!”

“Buys?” Frisk prompted. “Like… I sell something to you?”

Temmie nodded. Even more enthusiasm, if that was possible, overcame the tem. “Yaya! Yaya! Buy traveler things!”

“I don’t have anything I can sell, though,” Frisk replied. “But, uh, what are Tem Flakes?”

“Tem Flakes are cereal! Good with Tem Drink. But you have thing–traveler things!” Temmie’s grin now betrayed the presence of overly sharp fangs. “G!”

Frisk tipped their head. “But you can’t trade g, can you? I mean, you buy stuff with it.”

Flowey piped up, “We have to leave now. Frisk and I need to leave. We have a very important appointment with Captain Undyne.”

The tem behind the counter put her paws on the colorful counter. She pressed her paws down on the surface so hard, her claws unsheathed and glinted in the light. “No! Traveler stay! Travelers will stay with us a little while longer.”

Two tems crept up behind them. “The human will stay with us,” the tem that had first greeted them purred.

The second growled, “Human will stay with us. For life.”

The tem behind the counter pulled out a thermos. The upper third was made of a see-through, glass-like material. The rest was dark maroon with intricate red designs and multiple lights. A silver ring separated the glass and metal. Seven lights–cyan, blue, purple, green, orange, yellow, and red–made a ring below the silver rim. All of them were turned off. “Temmie will get muns.”

“Muns from you,” the first one stated in a silky voice.

The second piped up in a rougher voice, “Or muns from your soul!”

Flowey’s vine whipped out and took a bag of g from Frisk’s bag and set it on the counter. “Th-there! Uh, can we leave now?”

The first tem grabbed the bag of g, looked it over, and threw it into a barrel. It clinked and jingled as it fell into a very large barrel overflowing with g. “Thank you. Now we can guide you to Captain Undyne! And we will get muns from it. Perhaps extra for catching traitor flower.” Temmie tapped a large button on the thermos in which she held. When the button was activated, the top flipped open and a large light turned yellow on the front. The outline of a soul was on the yellow button. The seven colored lights began to glow in a dim fashion. “But we kill you first.”

“Wh-what’s that?” Frisk prompted.

“Container,” Temmie answered simply. “It catches your soul when we kill you.”

The first tem sniffed the bag and perked up. “Dog Residue?”

“Dog Residue?!” the tem behind the counter gasped. “You have Dog Residue?”

Frisk nodded. “Y-yeah. We do.”

“Give it to us!” the one behind the counter hissed, eyes wide and teeth bared.

Flowey shook his head. “No! If you let us go, we’ll give it to you. But if you take us…” Flowey took out the husk and wrapped two vines around it. “I’ll destroy it.”

Immediately, the two tems behind them backed up. The tem behind the counter shut the thermos lid. “Give us Dog Residues! We promise not to hurt or hunt you! Or take your soul!”

Flowey nodded. “Good. Here.” He dropped the husk on the counter. The two tems behind them swarmed the counter. The one behind the counter snarled and wrapped her arms around it. The two other tems barked and attempted to jump onto the counter to take it from her.

Frisk turned around and fled Temmie Village. “I… don’t like Temmie Village,” Frisk admitted.

Flowey nodded. “Yeah. Me neither. Let’s just… keep going.” Nearer to the beginning of the trail, another trail split off from the first mushroom. After one last mushroom was activated, they got to continue the new trail.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "HOi! I'm Temmie!"
> 
> So, the tems were kinda fun to write, honestly. There's so many of them and they're depicted as incredibly smart and business-savvy in the UF universe. So that was a fun idea to build on. Also! Does the [thermos](https://dannyphantom.fandom.com/wiki/Fenton_Thermos) sound familiar? Probably not; it's been forever and I only loosely referenced it. SOULs, ghosts, to-maa-toh, po-tah-toh.


	18. Nice to Meet You Again

The next area lacked mushrooms of any sort. Dimly glowing purple crystals littered the ground. A maze of thin strips of glowing grass curled through the ground. Little lamps decorated different places. A sign hung on the wall next to the first lamp post. Flowey read aloud, “‘Without candles or magic to guide them Home, the monsters used crystals to navigate.’ What does that–oh.” Flowey looked around.

Frisk attempted to mimic him, but still couldn’t see anything. “What happened? Is it darker?”

“It’s pitch black!” Flowey exclaimed in exasperation. “Why’d it go black? I can hardly see anything here!”

“You can’t see anything? Oh dear! What a nightmare.”

“Frisk, this isn’t the time.”

“Well, they used the crystals to guide them. Maybe use the crystals.”

Flowey squinted and shook his head. “Nope. Feel around. Is there anything…? Ah!” The grass maze was illuminated again. The crystal lights dimmed out of existence due to sheer contrast. “There. We just need to touch multiple lamps around the maze to keep the grass lit up.”

“That sounds fun!” Frisk hummed as she carried on down the trail.

“Everything is fun to you,” Flowey smirked.

Frisk giggled. “True!” The grass was very dark. Frisk touched a lamppost. The grass glowed again. Although she ran into many dead ends, she eventually found a wall which led them to a long, small room. There was a small trail of illuminated grass, which gradually began to darken. It led, however, into a pond. Frisk stepped in and nearly fell. The water was chest deep! Spooked, she waded as quickly as she could forward. The dying light dimmed into nothingness. She crawled onto land. At the very end, leaning on a wall, was an echo flower.

_“B E H I N D   Y O U.”_

Frisk whipped around. Light returned to the area. Captain Undyne, at the edge of the pool, watched the human and her flower. Captain Undyne spoke to her. “Seven. Seven human souls. With the power of seven human souls, our king… _King Asgore Dreemurr_ … will become a god. With that power, King Asgore can finally shatter the barrier. He will finally take the surface back from humanity… and give them back the suffering and pain that we have endured. Understand, human? This is your _only_ chance at redemption. Give up your soul, or I’ll tear it from your body.” Captain Undyne slipped into a battle stance. A spear appeared within her hands. With a hiss, Captain Undyne charged them. Frisk backed up against the wall until she couldn’t move any farther.

Before Captain Undyne’s spear could meet Frisk’s heart, MK jumped out of the grass hanging from the wall nearby. “Ha-ha! Captain Undyne! I’ll help you fight!” MK looked between Captain Undyne, whose spear still pointed straight at Frisk, and Frisk, whose wide eyes now flicked between Captain Undyne and MK. “Ha! You found her, too! We got front row seats to her fight!” The kid looked between Captain Undyne and Frisk again. “…wait. Whose she fighting?” With a sharp sigh of exasperation, Captain Undyne took MK by one of his frills and dragged him away. Her spear vanished. “H-hey! You aren’t going to tell my parents about this, are you?”

Frisk fell to one knee and put a hand to her thundering heart. “Oh… my… goodness.”

Flowey brushed his head against Frisk’s. “Hey! Frisk. We’re okay.”

“She… nearly _killed_ me!”

“But she didn’t?”

“If MK wasn’t here… if he hadn’t interrupted her… she’d have… sh-she’d have–!” Frisk whimpered, tears forming in her dull eyes.

“Whoa, whoa!” Flowey gasped. “It’s alright! He did come in and save the day, right? H-he got her off you. But now we have to go, okay? We have to go before she comes back. M-maybe you won’t even have to fight her if you hurry! Come on, Frisk. Get up!”

“I regret everything I said about her.” Frisk whimpered again and shakily got to her feet. From the center of the pond, a trail of glowing grass led straight up. Frisk waded through the deep pond again and through to the new trail. This trail was thicker. It led to a tunnel that was partially flooded so Frisk’s feet got wet again. Echo flowers, all strangely silent, littered the ground in the thin tunnels.

Flowey glanced at his trembling friend. Biting back a sigh, he called, “Howdy.”

_“Howdy.”_

Frisk perked up.

Flowey continued, “Har, har, har.”

_“Har, har, har.”_

Frisk smiled and giggled. The flower imitated her. Unfortunately, Frisk couldn’t stay long. She hardly had time to say “Look behind you~!” before Flowey rushed her. At the end, a sign hung on the wall. “What’s that?”

Flowey read aloud, “‘However… there is a prophecy. The Angel… The One Who Has Seen the Surface… They will return, and the Underground will go empty.”

Frisk and Flowey encountered a rickety bridge just outside of the crystal-flecked tunnel. She crossed it with ease. It was near the end of the long bridge that they were stopped. Frisk turned around.

MK raced down the bridge and stopped before her. “H-hey! It’s you. I know I’m not supposed to be here, but… I need to ask a favor of you. Yo… you’re human right? Heh… I knew it. Well, I know now. Um, well, Captain Undyne told me to ‘stay away from that human’ so… I guess that’s you. So, I guess that makes us enemies, me being a monster and you a human. Normally I’m good at it but… I just can’t hate you. So, uh, say something mean so I can hate you?”

“Why?” Frisk questioned. “I mean, why can’t we be friends? Even if we’re different?”

“Yo, Frisk, you’re really nice but humans are our enemies you know. So, just, tell me something bad, okay? To, uh, make me feel better?” MK requested.

Frisk hesitated. “Um… uh… you’re a c-clumsy no good monster.”

MK tipped his head. “Huh…? _That’s_ your idea of mean? Pfft. My sister tells me that all the time! Guess I have to do it, then.” He straightened himself out. “Yo. I… you’re a… stupid human. …darnit.” MK rolled his eyes. “I’m normally much better than this. Ugh. I’d better go home.” He turned and ran away. Unfortunately, he tripped and fell. With a cry of surprise, he bit down on the bridge–which was uneven and rotten at that point–and clawed at the beams holding it up with all his might. His tail whipped back and forth in an effort to keep his balance. “H-h-help! I-I fell!”

Captain Undyne appeared at the other end of the bridge. She held up her hand to summon a spear but hesitated upon seeing MK. She took a step forward to aid him. However, Frisk was already by his side. The human wrapped her arms around his neck and chest. Flowey’s vine ensnared his waist and upper chest. Together, they dragged the kid onto the bridge.

Once he was stable, Monster Kid stood up. Frisk and Flowey let go. Immediately, he whipped around to face Captain Undyne, head low and tail whipping back and forth. “Y-yo! If you want to h-hurt my friend, th-then you’re going t-to have to get p-past me, first!” MK puffed out his chest to make himself look bigger. He narrowed his eyes and bared sharp teeth. Unfortunately, his stutter and size did not make him that threatening despite his spikes, teeth, and clawed feet.

Captain Undyne took a few steps back, hesitated, and then walked away.

MK turned back to Frisk. “She’s… she’s gone. You really saved my skin there. Guess, uh, being enemies was just a nice thought. Haha… Guess we’ll have to be friends instead. I should really get home. My parents must be worried… Welp, see you later!” The kid turned and raced away.

Frisk gave him a small wave. “He’s… that was really brave of him.”

Flowey nodded. “Yeah. You did a great job, Frisk. Now, let’s not let his bravery go to waste. I think we’re at the end of Waterfall, anyway.”

The human sighed and nodded. “Oh, that’s good.” She turned and left the bridge and crossed through the tunnels. Soon enough, after a small amount of walking and another bridge, the tunnel opened into a cave. A rocky outcropping with a hole at its base was the entrance to the next tunnel. The cave system opened around them. Crystals glimmered in the ceiling.

Frisk and Flowey continued forward. They were stopped dead by a loud voice above them.

Captain Undyne, perched on the rocks above, glared down at Frisk. “Seven. Seven humans souls and King Asgore will become a god. Six. That’s how many we’ve collected thus far. Understand? Through your seventh and final soul, this world will be transformed. First, however, as customary for those who make it this far… I shall tell you the tragic tale of our people. It all started, long ago…” Quite suddenly, her dark voice sharpened. “No. You know what? Fuck it! Why should I tell you that story, if you’re about to die?!” Captain Undyne’s midnight metal fingers caught on her helmet.

_Clang!_

The metal instrument that protected her head and hid her face clanged down the rocky outcropping. She glowered down at them with one orange, slit-pupil eye. Her left eye was covered by an eye patch. Fins sprouted from the sides of her blue head instead of ears. Her long red ponytail flowed back over her armor. She bared her fangs in a twisted grin. “ _YOU!_ You’re standing in the way of everybody’s hopes and dreams! Our history books taught us that humans were a fierce race, hardy and combative. But you? You’re just a _coward!_ Hiding behind that kid so that you could run away from me again. And let’s not forget your goody-two-shoes shtick!”

Captain Undyne bared every razor tooth she could and creating a harsh sound that mimicked a laugh, though it could have been a mocking bark. “Oooh! I’m making such a difference by hugging random strangers!” Her twisted grin returned, and her voice evened out. “You know what would be more valuable to everyone? If you were _dead!_ That’s right, human! Your continued existence is a crime! Your life is all that stands between us and our freedom! Right now, I can feel everyone’s hearts pounding together! Everyone’s been waiting their whole lives for this moment! But we’re not nervous at all. When everyone puts their hearts together, we can’t lose! Now, human! Let’s end this right here, right now. I’ll even give your coward hide a chance to prepare yourself. Step forward when you’re ready to _die!_ Fuhuhuhuhu!”

Captain Undyne crouched and set one hand on the stone before her. Her sharp gaze did not leave Frisk. Frisk looked back at Flowey. “Th-this is it, then?”

“Don’t… don’t give up, Frisk!” Flowey encouraged. “W-we can do this! We can…” His voice lowered to a breath. “You’re fast. We can do this.”

Frisk gave him a curt nod. “I… I want to try talking to her first.” A glimmer of yellow light appeared to her right. Frisk’s fingers passed through it.

_“The wind is howling. Your greatest challenge so far is before you. You are filled with determination.”_

“You were literally whimpering about her trying to kill you a few minutes ago.”

“I-I know. I shouldn’t have said that.”

“You’re a strange kid, Frisk.”

Frisk shut her eyes and took a deep breath. “Flowey, she’s good, fast, and strong. I’m going to need your help now more than ever. She’s a hero. I can’t defeat her. Even if I did, what kind of person would I be then?”

Flowey nodded. “I will not let you down, Frisk! I promise!”

Frisk smiled. “Thank you, Flowey. Let’s… let’s get this over with.” Frisk looked up. Captain Undyne looked like a hungry cougar, perched in the rocks and teeth bared in the anticipation of a meal. Frisk took a step forward.

Captain Undyne hissed in glee, “That’s it then? Well here I come!” A spear materialized in her hands. The monster leaped from the rock and landed between them and their exit. Her spear cracked into the earth and sunk a few inches into the stone. Frisk’s soul appeared before her. Captain Undyne tore her spear out of the stone. “En guarde!” Captain Undyne cried with a wave of her spear.

Frisk jumped. Her soul turned green. She could not move her feet or her soul. It was as if chains wrapped around her ankles and anchored her to the ground. Captain Undyne snapped her spear in half and threw the staff at Frisk. Frisk caught it and held it close.

_“Undyne–Attack 60, Defense 30. HP 1800. The heroine who NEVER gives up.”_

Captain Undyne sneered, “As long as you’re _green_ you can’t _escape!_ Unless you learn how to face danger head on… You won’t last a _second_ against me!”

Crystal spears appeared before her. As soon as they formed, they launched themselves at Frisk. Frisk raised her staff. Each time a summoned spear hit the staff, the summoned one evaporated.

“C-Captain Undyne!” Frisk pleaded once the last spear dissipated. “I don’t want to fight you!”

“I wouldn’t either!” Captain Undyne laughed with a venomous smile.

“L-Left! Left!” Flowey yelped. Frisk whipped around, holding up their spear-shaft. The last of the spears vanished. “Right! D-D–FRONT! FR–RIGHT!” Flowey stammered as he attempted to instruct her as fast as the spears came. Her soul cracked.

“I won’t fight you!” Frisk stated.

“For years we’ve dreamed of a happy ending…” Captain Undyne admitted, ignoring Frisk completely. “But for years the possibility never came true.” More spears were summoned. Frisk gasped and blocked each one she could. Flowey’s direction aided quite a bit as the spears were small. They were blue approaching, but flashed a blood red upon getting too close. Although it helped, it still wasn’t good enough. Her soul cracked further.

“Now, sunlight is just within our reach!” Captain Undyne crowed and summoned another circle of spears. These ones were slower. A plethora of spears circled and struck. Although they were slow, they were so close together, Frisk couldn’t discern spear from spear and had to spin around so fast she made herself dizzy. “I won’t let you snatch it away from us!”

Frisk, hardly concentrating on Captain Undyne’s words, matched each spear thrown at her. When Frisk turned back to her, Captain Undyne flashed a menacing smile. “Ngahh! Enough warming up!” Spears came more quickly this time. Frisk manage to block most of them. Then, the spear Captain Undyne held flashed out. It phased through Frisk’s soul and turned it red. Her spear shaft vaporized. Another spear approached. Frisk ducked and took a step back. She could move!

Frisk attempted to run past her. A wall of spears appeared. Frisk cried out in fear and took a step back. Spears spun into existence and shot at them. Frisk jumped back and ran forward and side-stepped the absurd amount of spears. Once the volley was over, Flowey looked up at Captain Undyne. She didn’t look tired in the _least._

Without hesitation, Frisk slipped under Captain Undyne and raced away. Her soul was absorbed into her body again. Captain Undyne gave chase. Flowey gasped, “Oh–run faster! She’s catching up!”

“I can’t!” Frisk gasped. “I’m going as fast as I can!”

“SHE HAS METAL ARMOR ON! HOW?!” Captain Undyne raced ahead of Frisk. Her soul appeared before her chest. Frisk skittered to a stop before she could hit Captain Undyne.

 “Enough running away!” Captain Undyne barked. “Honestly, I’m doing you a favor…”

Spears shot up to make a cage around them. Blue circles began to glow under her. There was only one spot at a time that didn’t glow blue. Once the attack was over, Captain Undyne swung her spear at her. The wall of spears vanished. Frisk’s soul turned green. The spear shaft appeared in her grasp.

 “No one has made it past King Asgore.” Spears came at them from the front and the back. Some were quick, some were slow. Frisk’s back hurt from the amount of times she had to spin around and around to catch the spears. By the time the attack was over, Frisk swayed on her feet.

“So, killing you now is an act of mercy,” Captain Undyne growled. The sudden thought of Toriel crossed Frisk’s mind. A barrage of arrows shot at her. A golden spear raced toward her at the end. Frisk had little time to wonder about its color when it flew around to her other side. Frisk yelped and shut her eyes as the final spear bore down on her. Flowey’s command was cut off.

Strangely, the golden spear had not hurt her. She opened her eyes. “Flowey? What happened?”

…

“Flowey?” She turned her head and patted her backpack. Flowey’s drooping stem fell over the lip of her backpack. She held up his tattered, petal-ringed head with trembling fingers. The spear had torn clean through his face, nearly tearing him in half. “Flowey? Flowey, answer me!”

Chara stared at her, her creepy smile complimenting her hollow eyes. _“He’s gone.”_

“What?” Frisk trembled. “H-he’s dead?”

Captain Undyne’s shout cut through her numb senses, “And you’re next, you little brat!”

Frisk spun around. Her sister’s words growled in her head, _“Don’t let anyone stand in your way! Fight! Make them sorry!”_

Captain Undyne grinned and threw another volley of spears at her. Frisk, with Chara’s occasionally aid, blocked each blow. But Chara didn’t help long. The sheer rush of emotion that was felt between them–with Frisk’s larger than life, broken heart and Chara’s loss of ability to feel too much clashing together–the spirit refused to stay in her body very long. Before Captain Undyne could comment on her change, Frisk hopped and spun, her foot striking Captain Undyne’s head and knocking her back. Captain Undyne held her spear before her and threw another volley of arrows. Frisk parried these and, when Captain Undyne turned her soul green, ducked the spear.

Frisk lunged and struck Captain Undyne again. She danced out of the way of each attack, turning her defense into a fierce offense and slipping back into a defensive dance again. Finally, Frisk kicked her square in the chest with all her might, draining her will and hate into the blow.

Captain Undyne stumbled back and lowered her spear. “Ngaah!” She spat and narrowed her eye. Her legs shook so she leaned on her spear like a staff. Her body was mangled, severed with an arcing slice that went clean through her body. “You were stronger… than I thought…” she wheezed and closed her eye. “So then… this is where… it ends…” Captain Undyne let out a shutter and sank further. Flakes of scale and flesh started to dissolve into dust as she sank further. Then, she stopped. Her eye, black with a slit white pupil, flashed up to meet Frisk’s. She bared her jagged teeth in a snarl. “No! I won’t die!” She clambered to her feet. Her flaking scales and armor stuck together, now. “Alphys… Asgore… Papyrus… everyone is counting on me to protect them. Nnngah!” She stood up straight and swung her spear at Frisk. Frisk’s soul turned a brilliant green. “Human!” Captain Undyne barked. “In the name of everyone’s hopes and dreams… I WILL DEFEAT YOU!”

Frisk hopped and struck Captain Undyne. She flinched and grinned. “Is that all you’ve _got?_ ” She twirled her spear. More spears popped into existence and shot forward like bullets. Frisk glared at Captain Undyne, who grinned right back. She’d slowly begun to flake apart. The young human struck her again. The blow caused a chunk of her chest piece to cave. Captain Undyne let out a mocking laugh. “…pathetic. You’re going to have to try harder than that!”

The next volley was slower. Undyne’s body was wavering. At one point, this would’ve concerned Frisk. But right now… with the burst of fear and confusion and loneliness and hurt swirling together tainted by the echoes of her sister’s pessimistic influence, she glowered at Undyne and kicked her again, spitting in malice and hate.

Captain Undyne held up her spear. Her teeth were bared in a grin, but her muscles shook, and her arms and chest were starting to fall apart. “S-see how strong we are when we believe in ourselves?” The spears were slower, and fewer popped into existence.

Frisk growled and struck her again. Her body was starting to lose its shape. “H-heh… had enough yet?” Her voice was wheezing, now. Frisk could hardly discern her original body, now. Captain Undyne’s attacks were even weaker and slower. How did she expect to defeat her _like that?_

“I won’t… give up…” she breathed. Her shaking, deteriorating legs hardly held her up, now. She hardly gave her fight a go.

Frisk landed one last blow to her chest, scattering dust in a long arc as her foot connected.

Undyne took a step back and bowed her head. Her spear scraped the ground. She let out a weird noise like a defeated chuckle. “This is what I was afraid of…” She murmured and slipped on her crumpled legs. “…I’m sorry… Alphys…” Then, as if the name had more meaning than any simple word, her eyes flashed open. “No…!” She snapped, clambering to her feet. “No! I won’t die! Ngaaah!” Her spear clattered to the ground and fizzled out of existence. Her dust merged back into her body as she let out a war shriek. Frisk took a step back. A monster… that could bring herself back to life… maybe she should have run.

“I WON’T DIE!” She pulled herself up higher. Her scales smoothed and started to shine in a weird, slimy gleam. “I WON’T DIE!” Her feet sunk, and her scales dripped. Her armor began to melt. “I WON’T DIE!” She sunk farther, her entire body melting like wax near a flame. Frisk took a step back, shuttering in horror at the scene before her.

_“I-I take it back! I take it back! Ch-Chara? Chara?!”_

But Chara wasn’t speaking, she was hardly listening. She let out a long, hollow laugh.

“I WON’T DIE!” Captain Undyne’s legs fell out from under her and her hands–once balled into fists–melted down her bowed arms. But she still kept herself up. Even as her own face choked her throat. “I…. WON’T…” One last shutter escaped her body. Then, she collapsed. Frisk’s soul turned red.

Captain Undyne’s dust spread over the stone and brushed Frisk’s feet.

Chara stated, _“You won. Your LOVE increased.”_

Frisk stared at her feet with unseeing eyes. Sure, some part of her might have felt guilt, might have felt horror. But, as she stared down at what used to be the body of the fiercest warrior in the Underground, she whispered, “I did it. I killed her.” A weird feeling pulsed through her body. It wasn’t a bad feeling, like regret or pity. A _thrill_ ran through her. She laughed. “I did it! I… I killed her. I was strong enough to kill her.” _All this time… she had the ability to kill them. She didn’t have to suffer. Undyne was their strongest, so if Frisk could kill her… Frisk could kill them all._

 _“You did,”_ Chara agreed. _“Captain Undyne and Asgore are your greatest threats.”_

Frisk brushed off her tutu and hummed. “Yeah. I’ve never been able to defeat anyone before.” _But monsters are weaker than humans._ “Flowey! You were right! I could–”

Frisk’s words died in her throat.

_“Flowey’s gone, Frisk.”_

Frisk ran her fingers over the wilted stem of her friend. “B-but… you can bring him back, right? He didn’t turn to dust or anything!”

Chara held out her hands. Two buttons floated above them. One stated “CONTINUE” and the other “RESET.” _“CONTINUE will pull you back to your last SAVE point, which was right before Captain Undyne’s battle. Flowey will be alive, here. RESET will take you all the way back to the bed of golden flowers.”_

Frisk nodded. “Alright. I just want Flowey back. I don’t really care about anything else.” She pressed the “CONTINUE” button.

_“Wise choice. Never abandon your friends.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "NGAAAAAAH!"
> 
> So, this [horrifying thing](https://youtu.be/Dj3yzjpiwio) is a thing that happened horrifyingly!
> 
> It's funny how Frisk knew how to kill her. For such a pacifist, it's as if she's fought before.
> 
> Also, for a person who's never watched Steven Universe or Rick and Morty, I do seem to reference them.


	19. Fight!

Frisk and Flowey woke up by the golden light. Flowey gasped and looked around, as if expecting that golden spear to come right back at him. But when it didn’t, and when he noticed Frisk’s trembling, he stopped but did not speak. Frisk took a shaky breath before engaging again. Captain Undyne did not seem to have any recollection of the battle. That was fine.

Six more attempts were made before she got farther than before.

“So, stop being so damn resilient!” Captain Undyne snarled and waved her free hand. Arrows popped up _everywhere._ Frisk couldn’t dodge them all. By the time the barrage was over, she could hardly keep from swaying in her spot. Mercifully, her soul turned red. She ducked another arrow. She raced forward.

Captain Undyne inevitably caught her, straight under an electronic sign with letters that moved. “WELCOME TO HOTLAND” was spelled in bright red letters. She was so close.

“Erg! Enough running away!” Captain Undyne snapped. Her soul turned green. Without hesitation, Frisk nearly swallowed the cinnamon bunny whole. Most of the cracks vanished. “Dr. Alphys told me that humans were determined…” More spears attacked. Gold mixed with red as they sped at them. Flowey gripped the spear shaft and spun her around to block many of them. Flowey couldn’t possibly talk fast enough to give her appropriate directions. By the time the barrage ended, Frisk’s head was fuzzy. Captain Undyne turned her soul red.

“I see now what she meant by that.” This time, spears formed a circle around her. They spun and closed in on her in large, shrinking circles. Frisk had to dart out of the openings provided. Each time a circle vanished, another appeared. They were completely trapped. By the time the attack was over, Frisk’s mind had cleared enough for her to run away.

“DODGE!” Flowey cried. Frisk’s eyes grew round. A spear, summoned outside of their fight, formed and shot. It tore into her shirt and chest. _Shirk! Chink…_

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

Frisk’s soul shattered again and again and again. She reappeared at the golden sparkle again and again and _again._ Frisk dodged and ran and blocked as fast and hard as she could. Yet, each time she fought, each time she died, she found that she was getting better. She was getting farther.

Seven more tries later, Frisk made it to the farthest they’d gone in that battle. _“WELCOME TO HOTLAND”_ glowed in red dots that moved across a giant electric sign.

“But I am determined, too!” The spears came fast–too fast. Cracks formed in her soul. Frisk blocked each spear as best as she could, though the barrage of golden spears at the end was impossible to block.

“Determined to end this right now!” The spears came faster. Red mixed with blue. They were too fast for Flowey to help through words. He tapped her sides with his vines to show which direction the closest spear was arriving.

“Ngahh! Die already, you little brat!” Captain Undyne spat. Golden arrows mixed with blue and red. Frisk whipped around and caught as many as she could. By the time the barrage was over, she nearly dropped the spear shaft for injury and exhaustion. Her soul turned red and she ducked the spear.

As Frisk and Flowey raced away from the infuriated Captain of the Guard, Frisk’s phone rang. Frisk picked up the phone. “H-Hello? I-I’m kinda busy!” she wheezed.

“HUMAN? WHAT DO YOU MEAN? WHAT HAS KEPT YOU BUSY FOR SO LONG? YOU SAID THAT YOU WOULD’VE CALLED ME BY NOW!” Papyrus complained.

Frisk squeaked and glanced back. Captain Undyne was pressing in closer. A cluster of spears flew at them. Flowey yelled, “WHAT ARE YOU DOING?! TELL HIM WE’RE BUSY!”

“I’m s-sorry! I’m super b-busy right now. I’ll call you later, okay?” Frisk promised and hissed in surprise as she nearly tripped over a spear that rushed up from the ground. Blue circles appeared in the path before her.

“HOW LONG IS LATER?”

“I-in a few minutes! I swear to God, I will call you back in a few minutes!” Frisk wheezed and side-stepped a spear that Captain Undyne had thrown. “I have to go now! Sorry! I’ll call you back! I promise! Bye!” _Click._ Frisk ducked a the spear that was waved at her.

She sped out of the tunnel. Heat blasted into her so suddenly that she nearly tripped over herself for the climate change alone. She stood now upon hard, red stone. Lava boiled beneath them, far enough away to keep from heat stroke, but close enough to feel its heat and see its light. In a sentry station just outside of Waterfall, Sans pretended to sleep. One eye was opened to watch Frisk run. His sardonic smile widened, and he snickered at their overwhelming fear.

Flowey hissed at him. Sans flicked his fingers. A wall of bones appeared. The way to the bridge above a lava pit was blocked. Captain Undyne, cackling in glee, stopped behind her. Sans pretended to go back to sleep. Frisk held up one hand and backed up until she was right before the bone wall. “U-uh! Um! We don’t h-have to fight. No one has to die t-today.”

“Can it, Human,” Captain Undyne growled and pointed her spear at her. One hand touched something on her belt. It looked like the thermos Temmie owned. “Your soul belongs to me.” As her back was turned, Sans opened his eyes and held up his fingers. Flowey, hiding behind Frisk, saw him. Sans winked and pointed to the wall of bones. A few became opaque.

“Like h-heck it does!” Flowey squeaked. A round of friendliness pellets destroyed three of the bones in the wall. A thorny vine whipped out and tore Captain Undyne’s ponytail back. She gasped and took a step back. One of her spears cut his vine in half. “AGK! Go! RUN!” Flowey’s injured vine retreated into his backpack. Frisk squeezed between the bones and raced down the bridge. After gaining a harsh snap from Captain Undyne, Sans waved his hand. The bone wall vanished. Captain Undyne gave chase. However, by the time Frisk’s feet hit warm stone, Captain Undyne’s movements had slowed. She turned back to see Captain Undyne, wheezing and gasping.

“Armor… so… hot…” she wheezed. Sweat dripped down her face and armor. Captain Undyne took another step forward. “But I can’t… give up…” Captain Undyne’s spear vanished. The fish monster took a few more steps forward and then collapsed.

Frisk sucked in her breath and approached the fish monster. Captain Undyne twitched and groaned but otherwise didn’t react to Frisk’s presence. Flowey’s eyes grew round. “Oh no. Oh no! You are _not_ going to help her! …you are, aren’t you? Darnit.” Frisk turned around. A water cooler was in the corner. She darted toward it and filled a paper cup with water. It was by no means cold. However, it wasn’t too hot. Frisk turned around and walked over to the overheated woman. Captain Undyne half-opened her eye to look up at her. Frisk knelt and poured water over her head and back.

Captain Undyne shook her head, coughed, and shakily got to her feet. She looked around, stared at Frisk for a few moments, and then walked away.

Frisk sighed in relief. “Oh, thank goodness.”

“Yeah. She could’ve killed us, Frisk! Right after you helped her!” Flowey pointed out.

Frisk shook her head and approached the water cooler again. “No. She was doing what was right for her people. If she knows that I mean no harm, then she won’t fight me, right? Besides, she was very weak. Now… what did Papyrus want?” Frisk held up the phone for Flowey. He used a vine to tap in the correct numbers. As he did so, Frisk took up another cup and offered it to Flowey. He denied it with a shake of his head. So, Frisk drank it.

 _Briiin–_ “HELLO? HUMAN! IS THAT YOU?”

Frisk smiled. “Yeah, Papyrus! Sorry I couldn’t talk to you earlier. What did you want to talk to me about?”

“OH! I WANTED TO SPEAK WITH YOU ABOUT CAPTAIN UNDYNE! YOU SEE, SHE’S CAPTAIN OF THE ROYAL GUARD. SO, IF SHE KNEW YOUR QUEST, THEN SHE WOULDN’T FEEL THE NEED TO KILL YOU! I, OF COURSE, THEN KNEW THAT THE RIGHT THING TO DO WAS TO INVITE YOU OVER TO CAPTAIN UNDYNE’S HOUSE SO THAT WE COULD TALK THIS OVER!” Papyrus proclaimed.

Frisk nearly choked on the water she just drank. “T-talk to Captain Undyne?” Flowey’s eyes widened in sheer surprise.

“YES, HUMAN. DID YOU NOT HEAR ME?”

“O-oh I did! I am just surprised is all,” Frisk chuckled. For once, the invitation to hang out didn’t appeal to her. “Um… I would love to. But, don’t you think she’ll attack me first?”

“NOT IF YOU ARE A HOUSE-GUEST!” Papyrus claimed. “SHE’S BOUND BY HER HONOR! THAT’S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY SHE WANTS TO KILL YOU! BUT IF YOU ARE AN HONORABLE PERSON WHO IS HELPING US, THEN SHE WILL SEE IT DISHONORABLE TO KILL A PERSON IN SERVICE TO THE KINGDOM! A SMART PLAN, YES? OF COURSE, IT IS! I MADE IT. MEET ME AT CAPTAIN UNDYNE’S HOUSE. IT IS RIGHT NEXT TO NAPSTABLOOK’S HOUSE AND NEAR THE DUMP. DON’T BE LATE!”

“O-okay! Of course!” _Click._

Flowey stared at Frisk. “What are you doing?”

“Do you… um… want a glass of water?” Frisk offered.

“Frisk, you’re not going to Captain Undyne’s house. Please tell me you’re not!”

“I have to, Flowey!” Frisk whined. “Papyrus is expecting me to be there. Besides, maybe we can work this out with Captain Undyne and she will help us?”

Flowey shook his head. “Please, Frisk. This is serious. She’s not like everyone else. She will kill you!”

Frisk took a deep breath. “I know. But we have to try. Besides, if we’re killed then we’ll just… come back here, right? Besides, if this works, she won’t be hunting us down anymore.”

Flowey let out a deep sigh. “This better work. Give me some water, please.”

The young human watered the ground he was in with the warm water from the cooler. Then, she turned and entered the next area. Her cup evaporated. A yellow glimmer was in the center of it. Behind it was a giant laboratory. Frisk’s fingers brushed the glimmer.

_“Seeing such an ominous laboratory in a place like this fills you with determination.”_

She turned and went down. A river was there, under the hot red steps and into a tunnel below. A boat owned by a hooded person bobbed in the water. “Hello…” the hoarse voice whispered.

Flowey immediately shook his head. “Wh-what is this? I don’t like it.”

“Who are you?” Frisk inquired.

“I am the River Keeper,” the voice rasped. “I control the boat. If you want to go somewhere, I’ll drop you off at one of the docks… for a price. 2g a ride.”

Frisk looked through her bag. At the bottom, a few stray g had escaped her little purse that Temmie had taken. “Okay. That sounds nice. Can you take us to Waterfall?”

“Waterfall… yes…” The hooded figure took the gold provided by Frisk. The young human sat down in the boat. “Now we’re off…” The tunnel walls flowed past them as the boat swam through the water. “Beware the man who speaks in hands…” the River Keeper warned.

Once they got to the Waterfall Dock, the boat stopped. Frisk jumped nimbly out. “Thank you! Have a nice day!”

“Good luck…”

“That was pleasant.”

“You shouldn’t trust random monsters, Frisk,” Flowey pointed out and sighed. “But these conveniences really make it hard to drive the point home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "You're gunna have to try a little harder than that!"
> 
> Okay, so, her Underfell pacifist battle is heavily based on her Undertale Undying battle. Fun fact: I base a lot of this on my runs. Since the Underfell pacifist is supposed to be as difficult as an Undertale genocide, I played through a genocide run as well to _"gather data."_ Definitely not because I'm a sadist. She isn't so hard once you get used to her!


	20. Leaving So Soon? No, You're Not.

Frisk walked away from the river and up to a hall that led to a quiet place just off the river. Captain Undyne’s house was at the very top-left corner. Papyrus, chest puffed out and proud as ever, stood before her fish-themed house. Piano music drifted from within. His sharp eyes flicked to Frisk. “OH-HO! THE HUMAN ARRIVES! GOOD! ARE YOU READY TO ‘HANG OUT’ WITH CAPTAIN UNDYNE? I HAVE THE GREATEST PLAN TO MAKE YOU TWO AT LEAST AGREEABLE ACQUAINTANCES! NYEH-HEH! READY?”

Frisk nodded. “Yeah. Flowey! Hush! We can’t mess this up.” Flowey stuck his tongue out and retreated into Frisk’s backpack.

Papyrus turned and knocked on the door. The piano music stopped immediately. The top row of teeth on the door slid up while the bottom slid down. Captain Undyne stood at the door. Without her armor, she looked smaller, thinner. Muscles still ghosted beneath her tough, scar-crossed skin. A ragged black shirt with a red heart broken by a spear dressed her along with long black pants. Her vicious teeth were bared in a nice smile.

Papyrus started, “CAPTAIN UNDYNE! I HAVE COME UPON YOUR REQUEST.”

“You have,” Captain Undyne agreed. “Now hurry along. We’ve got to get to business.”

Papyrus smirked. “OF COURSE! AND, I BROUGHT A FRIEND WHO WOULD BE WELL SUITED FOR THIS!” He stepped aside.

Captain Undyne’s sharp eye turned to Frisk. “A friend? Well, hello. I don’t believe we’ve… met…” Her smile immediately turned into a grimace. Her sharp eyes flicked from the human to Papyrus. When he didn’t speak, she hissed through her teeth, “Why don’t. You two. Come in?”

Papyrus strode inside after her. Flowey squeaked, “Can’t we just, not go? She’s really, _really_ mad! Um, I think we have to, uh, be somewhere. Like, drowning in lava or something.”

Frisk’s smile wavered. “I-I know. But there’s no going back now.” The door snapped shut behind them. She jumped at the noise and action.

Captain Undyne’s gaze flicked constantly between Papyrus and Frisk. “So. Are we ready to start?”

“YES!” Papyrus agreed and then hesitated. “ACTUALLY… I FORGOT SOMETHING. YOU TWO GET STARTED WITHOUT ME.” He turned and swept out the door.

Captain Undyne glared at Frisk. “So why are _you_ here?” she growled. “To rub your victory in my face? To humiliate me further? Is that it?”

Frisk squeaked, “N-no.”

Captain Undyne huffed, “Then why _are_ you here?” Before Frisk could answer, Captain Undyne sneered, “Oh I get it. You think I’m going to be friends with you, huh? _Right?”_

Flowey shivered from inside her backpack. “J-Just, uh, b-be careful. Yes, maybe?”

Frisk gave a short nod. “Y-yes.”

“Really? How delightful! I accept! Let’s all frolic in the fields of friendship!” Captain Undyne laughed. Flowey stopped shivering and peeked out from behind Frisk’s head. Frisk stared at her. However, her disbelief was quickly put away by Captain Undyne’s abrupt change of mood. “Yeah _right!_ Why would I _ever_ even _try_ to befriend you? If you weren’t my houseguest, I’d spear you right now. You’re in the way of everyone’s hopes and dreams!” Again, Captain Undyne managed to show off every one of her teeth, as if to intimidate Frisk and Flowey further. Was there such a level of anxiety and fear beyond what they felt for Captain Undyne? “I will _never_ be your friend. Now get out of my damn house.”

Papyrus appeared by the open window. “DAMN. WHAT A SHAME. I THOUGHT CAPTAIN UNDYNE COULD BE CIVIL WITH YOU, MAYBE EVEN FRIENDLY. BUT I MUST HAVE OVERESTIMATED HER. SHE’S JUST NOT UP TO THE CHALLENGE. OH WELL.”

“CHALLENGE?! What?!” Captain Undyne gasped. “Papyrus! Wait a…! Dammit.” Captain Undyne turned her gaze to Frisk again. “Heh. He thinks I can’t be nice to you? HA! I’ll be so nice to you that you’ll have no choice then to be my friend! That’ll show him!” she sneered and widened her toothy smile. “Uh–have a seat.” She gestured to her large table decorated by a fancy doily with a fish imprinted on it.

Frisk smiled. She could remember Cammie acting the same way…

Flowey tapped Frisk on the shoulder and then on the ground. The young human jumped, nodded, and strode over to the table. She had to climb up into the seat as it was made for people as big as someone like Toriel. Flowey looked back up to Captain Undyne.

“Comfortable? Good. I’ll get you something to drink.” Captain Undyne strode over to the fridge and took out various things–a box, bottle, container, and can. “All set! What would you like?”

Frisk attempted to get up. A spear materialized and launched itself at the table. Frisk and Flowey screamed. The table before them snapped in half with a spear digging into the ground at the center.

“Hey! Don’t get up!” Captain Undyne snapped and then straightened herself out. “Er–how about you use just point to what you want. You can use the spear.”

Frisk picked up the end of the spear. It was too big and heavy for her to hold. “Um… what’s there, Flowey?”

“Sugar, soda, hot chocolate, and tea,” Flowey listed.

“Oh! Point to the hot cocoa, please,” Frisk hummed. “That’s my favorite drink.”

Flowey’s vine crept out and grabbed the spear. It turned to point at the blue can of hot cocoa.

“Huh? Hot chocolate?” Captain Undyne glanced at the container to Frisk and Flowey. “Well ok–oh, wait, wait. I forgot. I stopped buying the stuff. It’s too much of a hassle since King Asgore kept getting marshmallows in his beard.” She flashed a toothy smile, though it didn’t look too genuine.

Flowey pointed the spear to the tea boxes beside it. “Tea, huh? Well, it’s the best choice, I’ll admit. You wait there.” Captain Undyne strode over the boxes of tea and began to shift through them.

“What tea is she getting?” Frisk breathed.

“Well… it’s a yellow container. I don’t know,” Flowey whispered back.

“Okay.” Frisk shrugged. “Whatever it is, I’m sure it’s good. You can’t go wrong with tea, right?”

Captain Undyne put on a teapot to boil. “It’ll take a minute,” she explained without looking back. “So, don’t hold your breath.”

 _“Yeah, yeah,”_ Cammie’s abrasive voice came to mind. _“Cocoa’ll be done in a second so don’t hold your breath. …Frisk! What did I_ just _tell you? Hah! Damn kid!”_

Eventually, steam rushed out of the teapot. Captain Undyne messed with it a little bit before holding up a cup in her hands. “It’s, uh, ready!” Frisk smiled as the captain set the teacup on the uneven surface of the table and sat on the opposite side. “Careful. It’s hot.” Frisk gently blew on it. Captain Undyne sighed in exasperation, “It’s not THAT hot! Drink it already!”

Frisk nodded and took a sip. It’s burning. But other than that, it was pretty good.

“It’s pretty good, right?” Captain Undyne chuckled. Frisk smiled and nodded. “Nothing but the best here, of course!” A sudden sigh escaped her. “It’s funny you chose that tea. Golden Flower tea. That’s King Asgore’s favorite kind.” Chara grumbled something under her breath. Flowey turned his head so he was facing away from them.

Captain Undyne went on, “You kind of remind me of him… the younger him.” She chuckled. “You know, when I was a kid, I tried to fight King Asgore, just to prove to everyone how tough I was. He’s… well, emphasis on _tried_. I couldn’t land a single hit on him. Yet, worse than that, he wouldn’t even fight back. Afterward, he commented on my fighting spirit and offered to train me. Then, one day during practice, I managed to knock him down. Funny. I actually… felt bad about it. But God damn did he look proud. Long story short, he kept training me and now I’m Captain of the Royal Guard.” She puffed out her chest upon speaking her title. “So now _I_ get to train people to fight! Like… er… Papyrus.” Her smile fell.

Frisk tipped her head. “Huh? What’s so bad about that?”

She shook her head. “Kid, you probably won’t understand this but… being part of the Royal Guard means putting every bit of yourself into fighting, into defending. The guard? They’re good at their jobs. The dogs… aren’t so that’s why they’re in Snowdin. It’s the softest place in the Underground. Don’t you _dare_ tell Papyrus this but, the reason he wasn’t promoted, and probably won’t be, is… well… you. Not too much you in specific, but how he treated you.”

“What?” Frisk’s eyes grew round. “He can’t be promoted because he didn’t catch me? He almost did!”

Captain Undyne shook her head. “He’s merciful. He can’t kill. You probably got in a fight with him, yes?”

Frisk nodded. “Yes. He blocked my way out of Snowdin.”

“But you’re alive,” The Captain of the Royal Guard pointed out. “He couldn’t kill you.”

“He wanted to capture me to send me to the king!”

“He had explicit orders to kill on sight. But what did he do? Put you through puzzles,” Captain Undyne pointed out. “When he fought you, he got close, but was not able to finish the job. After that, he healed you and let you go. Is that correct?”

Frisk nodded and bowed her head. “Y-yeah. But he’s a–!”

“–nice guy,” Captain Undyne cut her off. “I know. No matter how rough he sounds or acts, he’s never killed a single person in his life. He never will. He’s physically incapable of murder. He can make someone just weak enough to die but will never finish the job. Instead, he captures them and brings their weak hides to me or, in your case, to the king. So, we have to kill them. No matter how much I’ve trained him, he just doesn’t seem to get it.”

“Why do you have to kill them?” Frisk inquired.

“It’s what has to be done. Like I said, you’d never understand. Ugh, why did I even tell you?” Captain Undyne rolled her eyes and then hesitated. “Huh. Out of tea already? Well then I’ll get you…” She got up and started to go to the sink. However, she stopped halfway there. Her eyes widened. “That’s perfect! Human!” She spun around to face Frisk and Flowey. “Nothing has gotten Papyrus and I closer than training! So, if we take a leaf out of his earlier training, we’ll be closer than you can ever imagine! Fuhuhu! Afraid? Well you should be!”

Flowey sucked in his breath. Frisk grinned. “Okay!” Flowey and Chara both stared at her.

Captain Undyne grabbed Frisk by the scruff of her neck. Quite suddenly, they were outside. Mad Dummy sat a few feet away. His eyes were narrowed into a glare at them. Captain Undyne stalked around so that she was in front of Frisk. “Human! What magic do you have?”

“M-magic?” Frisk asked. “I don’t have magic.”

“Why do you think she was running away all that time?” Flowey pointed out.

“No magic?” Captain Undyne echoed. “Hmm… well then, physical weapons it is!” She summoned and then snapped her spear and threw the head of it at her. Frisk caught it. It was long enough to wield, but short enough to handle with ease. Flowey wrapped his vines around Frisk’s hands and the parts of the spear she touched to harden her grip. Captain Undyne summoned her own spear, which was much longer. “First of all, you must learn to dodge. You dodged my attacks very poorly last we met,” Captain Undyne pointed out. “Since this is training, we won’t enter a fight.”

“I-I’m blind,” Frisk pointed out. “Flowey helps me see.”

“I know. Well, that shouldn’t impede your judgement! When faced with a problem, WORK AROUND IT! Draw your power from your SOUL! Through sheer determination you will defeat your enemies! In this case, it’s me. Now dodge!” Captain Undyne lunged at her. Frisk jumped back and smacked at her spear. The action did nothing. Before she even hit the ground, the captain twirled and swung at her. Frisk ducked. When she attempted to lunge at Captain Undyne, the captain vanished, and Frisk ended up overthrowing herself. Captain Undyne’s spear lashed at her legs. Frisk was on the ground, flat on her stomach, in seconds.

Captain Undyne asked, “How long was that?”

Mad Dummy piped up, “10 seconds.”

“Tsk, tsk. Not even half a minute.” Captain Undyne knelt and held out her hand. Frisk accepted her help and clambered to her feet. Captain Undyne let go and raised her spear again. “Get in a battle stance–quick!”

Frisk jumped and scrambled to get into the stance they normally got into in a fight. Captain Undyne sighed and tapped Frisk in the chest. Frisk stumbled back with a yelp as she was put off balance. Captain Undyne’s spear managed to stop her from falling. Frisk straightened herself out. “S-sorry. It’s been a while. Heh.”

“Well then, you need a refresher! You need a strong stance. If you don’t have a strong stance, then will you fall, and you will die.” Captain Undyne shifted Frisk’s feet and arms with her spear. “Feel that? Once you get into a good stance, your very soul will feel it. Then nothing can get in your way!”

Frisk tensed and held her spear out before her. She shifted onto the tips of her feet and clutched the spear with strength. Captain Undyne was right. Frisk _could_ feel the power and strength of that simple action. “Y-yeah! I do!”

“Good.” Captain Undyne slipped into her own stance and held tight her spear. “You can’t see, but you have the potential to fight. Your flower can see but has no ability to fight. You two are like an arrow head and staff; both can do fine on their own. But their true strength comes from their ability to work together to create a spear! Now, I’m going to strike at you again. Let your flower be your eyes. Let your instinct guide you. Ready? Go!” Captain Undyne lunged at Frisk again.

Frisk jumped out of the way. She dodged the follow up attack. She turned and brought her spear back. Flowey’s vines simply guided her swing. Frisk put the force behind it. Captain Undyne jumped back with feet lighter than feathers. Flowey, still controlling the direction of the spear, hissed instructions into Frisk’s ear. Frisk, with years of practice in dancing classes and ambush-style street fighting, dodged each and every attack. Captain Undyne, full of spirit and devoid of exhaustion, kept on her attack.

“You’re going to have to fight at some point!” Captain Undyne pointed out. “Even if you don’t want to.”

Frisk nodded and stepped to the side. However, before either of the two could properly land, Frisk swung their spear at Captain Undyne. She dodged and whacked Frisk’s spear. Both Frisk and Flowey lost hold of it. She was again on the ground.

Mad Dummy piped up, “Two minutes, twenty seconds.”

Captain Undyne helped Frisk up again. “You really suck at fighting. But your dodging is much better. Have you done this before?”

Frisk shrugged. “Kind of? I’m a dancer. So, I guess that helps.”

“A dancer eh…?” Captain Undyne thought for a moment and then smiled her sharp-toothed smile. “We can work with that. As a dancer, you have to keep moving. Constant, vibrant movement, right?”

Frisk nodded, an exuberant smile on their features. “Yeah! You move every part of your body and you get to move to the rhythm of the song. You also have to use your whole concentration and all your heart!”

Captain Undyne gave them a curt nod. “That’s what fighting’s all about. Constantly moving, full concentration, all of your power and heart! Your spirit of dancing paired with your determination to survive becomes your fighting spirit! Your fast and flowery movement becomes the grace and energy of a fighter! Now, pick up that spear, Human. We’re going again.”

Frisk walked over to where the spear had landed and picked it up. She’d hardly turned around when Captain Undyne launched herself at Frisk again. However, she’d seen this move twice before on Captain Undyne alone. She jumped to the side and smacked at her spear. It did nothing, though that was expected. She ducked and continued the fight. Frisk laughed as she dodged another attack. Captain Undyne, upon landing on the other side of her, spun around and turned her momentum into the energy needed to strike at Frisk. She bounced out of the way and ran around to Captain Undyne’s other side. Although she attempted the same trick on Captain Undyne, it didn’t work too well. She managed to nick her waist. Captain Undyne’s spear flashed. Frisk was on the ground again.

“One minute, sixteen seconds.”

Captain Undyne helped her back up. “Huh. You cut me. Nice! You’re improving! Let’s go!” Frisk and Captain Undyne engaged in another duel. Some distance away, Papyrus watched as the two practiced their dueling.

Eventually, Frisk got too tired to continue. Still, she kept fighting until she was put down again. “Okay!” she wheezed. “You got me!”

Captain Undyne stood up straight and let go of her spear. It fizzled into nonexistence. She helped Frisk to her feet. “Tired already? You’re going to have to work on your stamina if you want to survive. But I’m sure that this is nice for your first ever fighting lesson.”

 Frisk let go of the weapon. It fizzled out of existence. “Thanks! I learn from the best.”

“Of course you do.” Captain Undyne patted her head and looked back at her house. “You’re pretty tired. Up for some tea?”

Frisk nodded. “Oh, thank you! And some water for Flowey!”

Flowey sighed. “Yeah I guess I’ll take some water.”

Captain Undyne opened the door for her to enter. From there, they got to sit at the broken table and drink tea. Captain Undyne prepared another pot as they ran out. Eventually, Frisk was feeling able to run around again. Frisk’s heart sank a little as she remembered Cameline’s training sessions. Frisk was roughed up more after those, but they got cocoa after and, if she did well enough, got Cameline’s praise.

“I got a present for you, punk.”

Frisk perked up. “Really? Thank you!”

Captain Undyne laughed. “I haven’t even showed you!”

“Oh, right.” Frisk set her hands on the table. Captain Undyne smirked and got up. She vanished into her room. After a few moments, she was back. She knelt behind Frisk and looped a wire around her neck. A tiny blue spear connected to the wire sat on her chest. The spear was tipped down, pointing straight at her chest.

Captain Undyne sat back down in her spot. “Fits you like a charm. Next time you get in a scrap, remember our lesson.”

Frisk squeaked in delight, “Thank you! Oh my goodness! This is amazing! Thank you!”

Captain Undyne smiled and sat up straight. “That’s me. Now, a bit of advice to you: You’re going through Hotland next. The monsters there are tough, and most use fire attacks. King Asgore… he uses fire as well. But, uh, I don’t want to hear about the loss of the king, no matter what he might say. You might be doing well in training, but I’d still stomp you.”

“Of course!” Frisk purred and puffed up. “I won’t let you down! I certainly won’t hurt the king.”

“Good. Oh, and one last thing: Dr. Alphys and Mettaton. Mettaton’s not harmless, but everything he does, he does for show. So, if you act well, you might be able to appease him. Being a good dancer and actress should help when you get into a situation with him. And Dr. Alphys? She’s the royal scientist. She won’t give you much trouble if she knows you’re going to the king. She likes experiments, but she doesn’t mess with humans–especially with the last one.”

Frisk nodded. “Okay. Thank you very much, Captain Undyne. I’ll get to the king’s castle and I’ll make sure everyone is freed. So, I guess, see you there.”

Captain Undyne smirked. “See you there, kid.”

Frisk turned and strode out of the house. Papyrus was gone. Flowey smiled. “You have a way with people, Frisk. Hopefully it lasts.”

“Of course, it’ll last, Flowey. As long as we believe in ourselves, and each other, there is nothing we can’t do.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, might just be me projecting a little, but I love Undyne. She's so awesome and brave and determined! She's the true heroine of the Underground!  
> Also, if there aren't any spaghetti lessons, it would make sense that Papyrus and Undyne trained in fighting to both get as good as they are now and to become closer friends. So what better activity than a fighting lesson? Despite her previous fear, Frisk sure does agree with enthusiasm!
> 
> Well, this is the end of the Waterfall arc. The Hotland/CORE arc shall begin!


	21. Tonight on Underground-Night-Live

Frisk’s feet hit the warm stone of Hotland.

Frisk, Flowey over her shoulder, trod up the stairs and up to the small clearing. Lava flowed around her. Frisk set her hand on the little yellow sparkle floating above the land.

_“Seeing such an ominous lab in the middle of fire and lava fills you with determination.”_

Frisk walked to the lab, which was just to her right. The door automatically opened upon Frisk’s arrival. Flowey shrank back into Frisk’s backpack as they entered the lab. “U-um–do we really have to do this?”

“Of course. It’s the only way,” Frisk replied. It was dark–too dark to see anything. “In addition, she’s a friend. She’ll help us. If not, he will. If not him… then… we’ll figure it out. But I will always make sure that you are safe.”

“Always?” Flowey asked in a tiny squeak. He was completely hidden in her backpack.

Frisk smiled. “Always!”

The lights turned on. Frisk and Flowey winced at the light. From a sliding metal door with a bathroom sign beside it came the oddest-looking reptile. She looked like a cross between a raptor and a bearded dragon. A lab coat covered her torso and flowed down to the base of her tail. Although it might have been white, various stains of many colors and sizes yet to be bleached out peppered it. Underneath the lab coat was a black-and-red-striped shirt and dark pants. The reptilian monster looked up. Her glasses flashed in the light. Although they could see through the left one, the right one was clouded and decorated by a hypnotic swirl. “You’re the human.” The reptile’s voice was quiet and monotonous.

“Yep! My name is Frisk!” The young human announced.

The reptile approached her. Although her legs were long, they were currently bent down so that she was hardly a foot, if that, off the ground. Her large feet ending in talons shuffled over the clean tile floor. Dr. Alphys stopped in front of Frisk and tipped her head. “So, you are Frisk.” She put her hand on Frisk’s shoulder and brushed her scaly fingers against her cheek. “Hmm. A different texture than I expected. Humans usually have less soft skin. Then again, you are a child. You are identical to the young human that King Asgore and Queen Toriel kept a long time ago. They were at the age of twelve. I have been watching you, child. You need not fret. I will not take your life or your soul.” Dr. Alphys stopped in front of Frisk. Then, looking her straight in the eyes and avoiding any type of emotion, she stated, “But you will die.”

“Oh.” Frisk recoiled. “Um… can you help me? I’m trying to–”

“–get to the king’s palace. From there, you will attempt to reason with the king. Then you will somehow find a way to destroy the barrier. I know. You will not succeed. Humans cannot absorb human souls and monsters cannot absorb monster souls. You are required to die in order to free the monsters. But first, you will need to get to the king’s palace. Give to me your phone. I will make useful adjustments.” She held out her scaly hand.

Frisk took out their ancient cellphone and then hesitated. “Why do you want my phone? All it does is call people. You said you wouldn’t help ime.”

Dr. Alphys looked her over. “Humph. You’ve certainly gotten smarter since I first saw you in Snowdin. I was able to just program a bomb into your phone and, after a certain frequency hit it, make it explode. However, your sudden cautiousness intrigues me. So, I will program useful, non-life-threatening adjustments to your phone.”

“Um…?” She glanced back. Flowey was still huddled in her backpack. Frisk faced Dr. Alphys again. “Okay.” She put it in the scientist’s hand. “There you go.”

“Odd. This phone is very old.” The scientist inspected the thing. “I would enjoy studying this. Perhaps later. Wait here.” Dr. Alphys turned and strode over to the stairs beside the door. This time, she unfolded her legs a bit so that her strides were longer and thus her walk was faster. Though the stairs were an automatic escalator, Dr. Alphys walked up them.

“She’s quite odd,” Frisk commented. “I’m pretty surprised. She doesn’t look mad… or surprised… or happy… or anything.”

Flowey shuttered. “I-I know. She never shows emotions anywhere except near Captain Undyne. She has no soul, I swear it.”

Frisk shook her head. “She has a soul. Everyone does. She’s even helping us right now!”

Chara muttered, _“Not everyone has a soul, Frisk. But Dr. Alphys does have one.”_

“Yeah.” Flowey didn’t come out of her backpack.

Dr. Alphys strode down the escalator. Surprisingly, she was able to get down the up escalator fairly easily. The scientist stopped before Frisk and held out the phone. “This is yours. I have made some adjustments to it. It will aid you in getting through puzzles and most of Mettaton’s tricks. You may leave now.” She shuffled out of the way.

“Oh. Um… okay. Thanks!” Frisk waved and started to walk out. However, a low rumbling crash stopped her. Dr. Alphys perked up and wandered forward. The crashing noise sounded again, though now it was closer. “What’s that?” Frisk asked, tensing.

“It’s an interesting noise,” Dr. Alphys answered.

The crash came again. This time, it made the floor shake. Frisk jumped back with a gasp. Dr. Alphys did not react to the noise with any emotion. “Oh.” Then, the wall burst. The lights went out.

“OH YES! WELCOME, BEAUTIES–” The lights flicked on. A giant metal rectangle shimmered in the light. The robot’s dark exterior glinted red and stormy gray. Four arms, each one held beside it with grace, sprouted from its side. A single wheel made up its leg. “–TO TODAY’S QUIZ SHOW!” Clapping and music came out of seemingly nowhere. Flowey looked around. Cameras blinked on from around the room. “OH, I CAN ALREADY TELL ITS GOING TO BE A GREAT SHOW! EVERYONE GIVE A BIG ROUND OF APPLAUSE FOR OUR WONDERFUL CONTESTANT!” Mettaton clapped with his two free hands. His second left hand was a canon. His right hand held a microphone. Glitter rained from the ceiling and twirled around Frisk. “NEVER PLAYED BEFORE, GORGEOUS?” Frisk shook her head. “NO PROBLEM! IT’S SIMPLE! THERE’S ONLY ONE RULE! ANSWER CORRECTLY… OR DIE!”

Frisk’s soul appeared before her body. Mettaton waved at her. Dr. Alphys stood relatively near his left side. Although she looked quite often to Mettaton, her gaze always found itself back to Frisk.

_“Mettaton–Attack 20, Defense 999. HP ??? His metal body renders him invulnerable to attack.”_

Frisk bit her tongue. Oh, how were they going to get out of this one?

“LET’S START WITH AN EASY ONE!” Mettaton crowd and slid out of the way. He held up a piece of paper. Behind him, an electronic board flashed.

Flowey read aloud, “‘What is the prize for answering correctly?’” Four buttons, all gold, appeared before them, just within arm’s reach. “I’ll read from top left to top right, bottom left to bottom right,” Flowey informed her and curled his vine under her shirt so that it wrapped around her wrist. “‘A. Money, B. Mercy, C. New Car, D. More Questions.” Flowey glanced up at Dr. Alphys. She stared at him and, when she found he expected her to answer the question, showed him her middle finger. Flowey hesitated and then stated, “Pick D.”

Frisk, guided by Flowey, held out her hand on the letter “D.” Nothing happened. Frisk took her soul and guided it to the button. Letter Choice D flashed gold.

“RIGHT! SOUNDS LIKE YOU GET IT!” Mettaton laughed with a wave of his paper. “NOW HERE’S YOUR TERRIFIC PRIZE!” The board changed words.

“‘What is the king’s full name?’” Flowey prompted. “‘A. Lord Asgore. B. King Dreemurr. C. King Asgore Dreamurr. D. Lord Dreemurr.’ What? Those  _are_  his names. Um… er… C. Pick C.” Frisk guided her soul to the “C” button.

“TERRIFIC!” Mettaton cried. “ENOUGH ABOUT YOU, NOW ABOUT ME!” The board flashed with the third question.

“‘What are robots made of?’” Flowey read. “‘A. Electronics and Blood. B. Metal and Magic. C. Souls and Metal. D. Souls and Magic.’ …B.” Frisk chose the letter “B.”

“TOO EASY FOR YOU, HUH? HERE’S ANOTHER EASY ONE FOR YOU!” The sign flashed with words almost too small to see.

“‘Two trains, Train A and Train B, simultaneously depart Station A and Station B. Station A and Station B are 252.5 miles apart from each other. Train A is moving at 124.7 mph toward Station B, and Train B is moving at 253.5 mph toward Station A. If both trains depart at 10:00 AM, and it is now 10:40 AM, how much longer until the trains pass each other?’” Flowey wheezed in exasperation. “‘A. 31.054 minutes. B. 16.232 minutes. C. 32.049 minutes. D. 32.058 minutes.’ What the heck? Is this even supposed to be possible!? Um… A? M-maybe choose A.” Frisk, with some hesitation, guided her soul to the letter choice “A.” It flashed scarlet. The letter choices vanished.

“HA-HA!” Mettaton laughed and pointed his canon-hand at them. “YOU WISH.” The canon blazed with light.  _Chzuuuum! Chink!_

 

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

Frisk gasped and put a hand to her chest. She could still feel the stinging heat of the laser in her chest. Flowey squeaked, “I told you! We  _really_  shouldn’t go in there!”

“We don’t have any other choice,” Frisk denied. She glanced back at the elevator. A rabbit and dragon guards were stationed in front of it. “We’ll get it right. So, it definitely wasn’t ‘A’. Let’s try ‘D’ next time.”

“Why ‘D?'” Flowey prompted.

“For determination!”

The flower rolled his eyes. “Well… let’s hope this works. Come on.”

Frisk strode inside. It didn’t take long before Mettaton made his grand entrance. The first few problems were very easy. That was, until…

“TOO EASY FOR YOU, HUH?” Mettaton cried. “HERE’S ANOTHER EASY ONE FOR YOU!” The sign flashed with words almost too small to see describing the trains.

Flowey wheezed the train question. “‘A. 31.054 minutes. B. 16.232 minutes. C. 32.049 minutes. D. 32.058 minutes.’ Choose ‘D.’”

Frisk guided her soul to the letter “D.” The option lit up and music blared in excitement.

“WONDERFUL!” Mettaton crowed and set a hand on his “head.” “I’M ASTOUNDED, FOLKS! DON’T ‘COUNT’ ON YOUR VICTORY!” The screen changed.

“‘How many flies are this jar?’” Flowey prompted. A jar full of flies buzzed on screen. “‘A. 54. B. 53. C. 55. D. 52.’ Um… A…?” Frisk chose the letter in which Flowey advised.

“CORRECT! YOU’RE SO LUCKY TODAY! LET’S PLAY A MEMORY GAME!” The screen flashed with an object.

“That looks like Froggit…” Flowey mumbled. “‘A. Froggit. B. Whimsum. C. Moldsmal. D. Mettaton.’ A?”

“HA-HA!” Mettaton laughed. “YOU WISH!” Frisk took a few steps back. The laser that Mettaton pointed at them blazed with light.  _Chzuuuum! Chink!_

 

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

Frisk and Flowey appeared outside again. They, with considerably less excitement, had to go through the entire thing again.

“CORRECT! YOU’RE SO LUCKY TODAY! LET’S PLAY A MEMORY GAME!” The screen flashed with an object. It looked like half of froggit’s face.

“‘A. Froggit. B. Whimsum. C. Moldsmal. D. Mettaton.’ …D,” Flowey decided. “The Narcissist.”

“OH, YOU REMEMBERED? HOW SWEET!” Mettaton cackled as the screen panned out to a picture of Mettaton wearing a Froggit shirt. “BUT CAN YOU GET THIS ONE?”

He slid out of the way. Flowey piped up, “Would you smooch a ghost? What the–all the answers are ‘Heck yeah!’ And the timer is going  _up_  rather than  _down._ ”

Frisk grinned. “You know what this means, Flowey?”

Flowey sighed. Frisk threw a glanced back at Chara and slammed Option “C” with a smug grin.

“GREAT ANSWER! I LOVE IT!” Mettaton congratulated and slipped back to the side. He glanced at his paper… probably. Having a screen with no face made it difficult to discern where he was looking. Was he “looking” anywhere? Or was he looking everywhere? Mettaton stated, “HERE’S A SIMPLE ONE!” The screen flashed.

“‘How many letters in the name Mettaton?’” Flowey read aloud. “Huh what’s–oh.” The letter “n” kept writing itself at the end of his name, thus extending it. All four answers changed into higher amounts as more letters were added. “C…?” C was the correct choice.

“OH OF COURSE THAT WAS CORRECT! THAT SEEMS TO BE ALL THE QUESTIONS FOR TODAY’S SHOW!” Mettaton crowed. “BUT! THIS WAS JUST A PILOT EPISODE! STAY TUNED, FOLKS, FOR MORE ACTION, MORE ROMANCE, MORE BLOODSHED! UNTIL NEXT TIME, DARLINGS!” Mettaton’s arms folded into himself as did his leg. He was launched out of sight by a rocket. The glitter stopped falling and the cameras turned off.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "WITH ALPHYS HELPING YOU, THERE'S NO DRAMATIC TENSION!"
> 
> Welcome to Hotland! Heh. Mettaton isn't kidding around this time! You'll seea few changes here and there. Some monsters deviate from the norms of Underfell. For example: Undyne is heroic, while some display her as simply aggressive. However, Dr. Alphys I think might be the one who deviates the most. She's basically the representation of my theory on monster souls, which is something I divulged way the heck back when in "[Surfacefell short stories](https://archiveofourown.org/works/11495982/chapters/26442189)". Also, the description makes me laugh, now that I look back on it.  
>  _"And I just don't really hav eto motivation to write any more of Undertale. I still love Undertale, it's just I've been too drained to write more."_ ~VenomQuill, Surfacefell short stories, Chapter 14: Monster Souls (gotta love the typo. :))


	22. Whooshy-Whoosh!

“Wise choices, Flowey.” Dr. Alphys looked back at the flower. He melted into Frisk’s backpack. The scientist turned back to Frisk. “You should go, now, if you seek to find the king prior to tonight. By night you will be tired and sloppier. You might die before you reach the castle.” The reptile shuffled back into the bathroom.

Flowey wheezed, “We should leave. Now.”

“Okay, yeah.” Frisk walked to the end of the room.

Outside, there was a thin trail leading up to two very thick, very long conveyor belts. One led up to the next area of stone. One led down from that area to the trail. Frisk strolled onto the conveyer belt going away from the lab. Eventually, Flowey’s head left Frisk’s backpack. He straightened up and looked around. “This place is pretty treacherous. There are a lot of cliffs that fall into lava. Be careful. I’ll make sure you don’t fall. Just don’t start running or leaping.”

Frisk nodded. “Okay, Flowey. Thanks. Oh dear!” She stopped as she nearly tripped over a little volcano with legs. Its little face was upturned in a smile and its eyes were closed. Vulkin strolled in.

_“Vulkin–Attack 25, Defense 5. HP 25. It doesn’t know fire burns. It thinks it’s a healer.”_

“Thunder!” The little orange volcano crowed. A puff of steam manifested itself into a cloud. Electricity buzzed through it and finally exploded. Flowey rushed instructions to dodge. Unfortunately, the attacks were quick and strong. She managed to dodge _most_ it. Cracks formed in her soul.

“U-um… you’re not a healer,” Frisk pointed out. “B-but if you really try and practice, you can be.”

“Not… useful?” Vulkin whimpered. “Not… useful.” Its attack stopped.

“Oh no! I didn’t mean it like that!” Frisk gasped. “I meant that you might not be a healer now, but if you really try and you really study, you can be!”

“Really?” Vulkin smiled again.

“Yes! Now go start learning!”

“Okay! Thank you!” Vulkin strolled away.

Frisk sighed and continued forth. “Well… that was something. I hope they learn how to heal. That would be nice. Let’s go ahead!”

More of the conveyor belts lay in wait. The next one twisted around like a serpent’s slither. At the end of it was a little island with a golden sparkle. Whooshing of the steam vents nearby filled her ears.

_“The whooshing sounds of the steam and cogs fill you with determination.”_

The cracks in her soul mended themselves. Vents decorated little islands in a confusing mess of ground and steam. Upon stepping on one of the vents, they were launched into the air and fell onto the ground of the island. Frisk stood up and dusted herself off. “Oh goodness. Isn’t there a better way of moving around?”

“Probably. But monsters love intricacy and puzzles,” Flowey admitted. The whirring of an engine stopped them. Frisk and Flowey halted and turned forward. A helicopter with a bonnet hovered before her. Yanderecopter gets in the way… completely on purpose.

_“Yanderecopter–Attack 25, Defense 26. HP 80. This helicopter means business… does it really like you?_ _”_

The helicopter huffed, “No way. Why would I like _you?”_ The helicopter spun around the air around them. Little bombs rained down. Although Frisk and Flowey were able to dodge them, the strips of smoke and fire were not easy to dodge. Cracks reemerged in her soul. Yanderecopter showed off its tail blades, its gaze bright and yet sharp.

Flowey glanced at Frisk. “Ah… I don’t like the look of this helicopter.”

Frisk narrowed her eyes and smiled. She took a step toward it. “You’re looking nice today.”

The helicopter hovered a few inches away. “E-eh? What?” A green aura faintly glowed around the helicopter. Frisk waved her hand through it. The helicopter backed off further. “E-eh–? Whatever. Keep your hands to yourself.” The helicopter spat and flew away.

“That was weird,” Flowey commented. “Let’s keep moving, though.”

Frisk nodded and wandered around some more. She ended up getting to a piece of land that held a large half-circle of conveyers around it. There was a gap, however, between the stone and conveyors. Both of them led around to the island. On one side, a frying pan was on the ground. Nothing was on the other side.

“There are some arrows here,” Flowey commented. “Well, one arrow. But it’s changing constantly. Is the steam moving with it…? Frisk, when I tell you to jump on it, jump, okay?”

“Okay. What’s special about this one?”

“Jump!” Flowey encouraged. Frisk hopped onto the vent. It launched her onto the small island with the frying pan. “The direction of the steam changed with the direction of the arrow. So, what’s that?”

_“Burnt pan: Attack 10. Food heals more. Attacks are consistent.”_

“Oh! It makes food better,” Frisk informed him.

“It only works if you’re holding it, though,” Flowey pointed out.

“I can’t carry a frying pan in my hand all the time, though!” Frisk pointed out.

“Put it in your bag and take it out during battle,” Flowey advised. “It also has a large area. Maybe you could block attacks!”

“Oh! That sounds really cool. Thanks!” Frisk set her gloves inside of her bag along with her pan. With that, they tromped off, feet light and head in the air.

The next area they entered was full of lasers. Frisk tipped her head. “Should we ask Dr. Alphys for help?”

Flowey shook his head violently. “No! Er–isn’t Papyrus good with puzzles?”

“Oh yeah! He is! Thanks for reminding me.” Frisk took out her phone and Flowey dialed the number on it.

“HELLO? HUMAN?”

“Hello, Papyrus!” Frisk purred.

“OH! DID YOU NEED SOMETHING…?”

“Well, I’m at a puzzle,” Frisk replied. “I can’t figure it out. But you’re good with puzzles. So, I thought I’d call you!”

“INDEED, I AM GOOD AT PUZZLES! WHAT DOES THIS ONE LOOK LIKE?” Papyrus prompted.

“Well, it’s just a long hallway with a bunch of lasers. There are a bunch of orange lasers that are standing still. There are a few blue ones that are moving back and forth. The lasers are kind of low, so I can’t go under them or above them. Do you know what this means? Er–what they do?” Frisk inquired.

“ORANGE AND BLUE LASERS? OH OF COURSE! DO YOU REMEMBER RED ATTACKS? WELL, BLUE LASERS ARE SIMILAR TO RED ATTACKS. YOU CAN’T MOVE WHEN THEY HIT YOU. IF YOU DON’T MOVE, THEY WON’T HURT YOU! ORANGE ATTACKS–AND ORANGE LASERS–ARE THE OPPOSITE OF RED ATTACKS. THEREFORE, YOU KEEP MOVING THROUGH THEM!” Papyrus explained.

“Oh! Thanks, Papyrus!” Frisk purred. “I’m going to see if I can do it, now.”

“CALL ME BACK ANYTIME!” _Click._

Frisk walked straight through the orange lasers. When the moving blue lasers came, both Frisk and Flowey stood stock-still. Frisk easily got to the other side. “Well, this puzzle was simple!”

The next puzzle wasn’t that simple.

There were three pieces of land that all encountered the same wall. All three had entrances, but only the middle had doors. A vent went to all three and all three had vents that went back to the center.

Flowey looked around. “Hmm… let’s try going to those side rooms. Let’s go right, first.”

“Okay!” Frisk jumped onto the vent once the arrow pointed right. The entryway with an upside-down heart above it led to a small room. A game with a ship on either side and squares in the middle lit up upon entering. There was a note on the ground. Frisk knelt beside it.

“‘Shoot the opposing ship. Move blocks to complete your mission,’” Flowey read aloud. “Okay. Simple enough. Start up the game. I’ll tell you where to go.” The screen lit up. Four white, full boxes filled the corners. Two hollow boxes were in the space on the top and space on the bottom. Two tear-drop, red icons glowed near their “ship.” “Okay. Down one, right one.”

Frisk complied. One empty box filled the left empty space. One of them blocked the entryway.

“Shoot twice.”

Frisk pressed the “shoot” button twice. The empty box exploded from the first shot. The enemy ship broke upon being hit with the second attack. “Good job!”

Frisk beamed. “Yeah! Hopefully, that did something!” She turned and walked outside. The upside-down heart above the door glowed with neon lights.

The left side held the same puzzle. However, this puzzle was guarded by a laser. It was a stationary blue laser. “Oh dear,” Frisk mumbled. “We can’t go through there.”

 _Brriiiing! Brriiing! Br–_ “Hello? This is Frisk.”

“Frisk.” Dr. Alphys’ emotionless voice came out of the receiver. “This blue laser will hurt you if you move through it. I am deactivating it now.” _Click._ The blue laser shut off.

“She’s helping us,” Frisk informed Flowey.

“I don’t trust her,” Flowey stated. “I don’t. But let’s get this over with.”

This was just a bit more complex. The screen was wider and there were more white boxes and empty boxes. Flowey thought for a moment. “Hmm… okay. Down. Left. Up. Left. Shoot. Shoot. Nice!” The puzzle, complete, deactivated itself. Frisk strode out of the room. The door, now that both puzzles were solved, opened.

This next area was a bit odd. Frisk turned the corner and jumped onto a vent. This launched them onto another vent which launched them into a third. Finally, they landed on the shiny ground covered in blue tiles with gold circles in the center. Frisk looked around and kept going. Upon entering a door, they were greeted by pitch black. Before she could walk back out, the door shut and locked itself. “O-oh no,” Frisk breathed. “Oh dear. What’s happening? What–?”

 _Brriiing! Brriiing! Brii–_ Frisk answered the phone. “Hello?”

“The power to this section is strangely off. I am reactivating it now.”

Lights blazed in the kitchen that they were in. Flowey looked around. However, upon hearing a familiar, robotic voice, both turned to see the third entity on the room. Behind the counter and wearing a chef's hat, Mettaton called, “OH YES! WELCOME, BEAUTIES, TO THE UNDERGROUND’S PREMIER COOKING SHOW!” Pink words in curly writing flashed above them. “Cooking With a Killer Robot.” Sparkles danced around the words before they faded. Mettaton went on, “PRE-HEAT YOUR OVENS BECAUSE WE’VE GOT A SPECIAL RECIPE FOR YOU TODAY! WE’RE GOING TO BE MAKING… A CAKE! MY LOVELY ASSISTANT HERE WILL BE GATHERING THE INGREDIENTS. GIVE THEM A ROUND OF APPLAUSE EVERYBODY!” An audiotape of people clapping sounded somewhere nearby. Glitter swirled around them. Flowey coughed as pieces of glitter got in his mouth. “WE WILL NEED SUGAR, MILK, AND EGGS. GO FOR IT, SWEETHEART!”

Frisk shifted her feet. “Er…”

“Upon the counter, under the, uh, window. They’re all there,” Flowey instructed. Frisk walked over to the counter where the ingredients were. Flowey carried the heaviest ingredient, the milk, while Frisk carried the flour and eggs.

After Frisk and Flowey put down the ingredients, Mettaton crowed, “PERFECT! GOOD JOB, BEAUTIFUL! WE’VE GOT ALL OF THE INGREDIENTS WE NEED TO BAKE THE CAKE! MILK… SUGAR… EGGS… OH MY! WAIT ONE MAGNIFICENT MOMENT! HOW COULD I HAVE SO EASILY FORGOTTEN THE MOST IMPORTANT INGREDIENT? _A HUMAN SOUL!_ ” Mettaton, cackling in glee, aimed his canon-hand at them.

“W-wait!” Flowey cried. “Are you not thinking about your audience?”

Frisk jumped and sucked in her breath. “What are you doing?!”

Mettaton stopped. “WHAT?”

“I mean, how could you use a living ingredient if you have vegans in your audience? And of people who cannot acquire a human soul?” Flowey prompted. “They’ll need to use a substitution. But you’re the one making the show, so how could they know what to look for?”

Mettaton hesitated and lowered his canon-hand. “OH, SILLY ME! YOU ARE COMPLETELY RIGHT, FLOWER! THANKFULLY, I DO HAVE A NON-HUMAN SUBSTITUTION. MTT-BRAND ALWAYS-CONVENIENT-HUMAN-FLAVOR-SUBSTITUTE! MY FRIENDLY ASSISTANT, DO YOU MIND GRABBING IT? IT’S JUST ON THAT COUNTER OVER THERE.” He waved his hand at the wooden counter just out of the kitchen.

Frisk walked over to the counter. Before she could take it, the wooden counter shuttered, lowered, and then raced up. Frisk and Flowey watched as the counter raced higher and higher as it showed more and more drawers.

“OH! BY THE WAY, DARLING. THIS SHOW RUNS ON A STRICT SCHEDULE. IF YOU DON’T GET THAT INGREDIENT IN _ONE MINUTE_ , WE’LL HAVE TO GO BACK TO THE _ORIGINAL PLAN!_ BETTER START CLIMBING, BEAUTIFUL!” Mettaton purred. He flew up.

Frisk took a deep breath. “Well. This is a problem. We’re just going to have to find a solution. I can’t climb, and even if I could, that is way too high. Can you reach it? Or climb?”

“I could, but that would take a while,” Flowey answered. “Since it’s not a piece of the ground, I can’t go there on my own.”

 _Brriii–_ “Hello? This is Frisk!”

“Frisk. I altered your phone. There’s a jet-pack on it. Press the button.” _Click._

Frisk looked at their little red and yellow phone. Flowey pressed the button labeled “jet-pack.” The phone expanded. Within seconds, it was almost as big as Frisk. That and it snapped to their back like a magnet. It pushed the backpack with Flowey up a bit. Frisk and Flowey were shot into the air.

Frisk screamed in fright and held out her arms to stabilize herself. Somewhere above them, Mettaton laughed. “Oh my God.” Flowey looked up at the tiny projectiles that fell above them. “He’s throwing eggs at you. Okay, follow my direction. Left. Left! Stop. A little to the right. Keep going. A little bit forward! Ugh. That one was close.” Eggs stopped raining from the sky. Mettaton whipped out a bag of flour and began to throw clouds of it into the air. Although Frisk attempted to dodge, some flour still got on her. Eventually, the flour was put away and replaced by milk. The milk was replaced by eggs and it started over again. By the time Frisk and Flowey got to the top of the counter, they were both covered in flour, eggs, and milk. Flowey sighed in relief. “Oh, thank God. Let’s just get this thing and get out of here, huh?”

“MY, MY,” Mettaton clicked. “IT SEEMS YOU’VE BESTED ME. BUT NOT WITHOUT THE HELP OF DR. ALPHYS!” He lowered his “voice” a bit. “DON’T WORRY ABOUT THE INGREDIENTS, DARLING. I’VE ALREADY PRE-BAKED THE CAKE. TOODLES!” Mettaton zipped away.

The young human and the flower gently descended. Her jetpack shrunk back into a phone. “Blegh!” Frisk huffed. “I have enough ‘ingredients’ on me to bake two cakes!”

“Got that right,” Flowey huffed and coughed up some flour. “I hope there’s a bath or something here. I’m sort of missing Waterfall.”

Frisk chuckled. “No kidding. It’s fitting we’re in Hotland, though. Maybe if we wait long enough, we’ll become a cake!” A yellow sparkle appeared before her as she walked on the thin trail.

_“Thinking of becoming a cake fills you with determination.”_

“What’s that?” Frisk inquired. A large dark mass broke up the red lava.

“It’s the Core,” Flowey explained. “It supplies the entire underground with electricity. You can get to an elevator to the king’s castle from there.”

At the end of the trail was an elevator. “Oh!” Frisk gasped. “Wasn’t there an elevator back by the guards?”

Flowey nodded. “Yeah. Are you thinking we can go there and wash off in Waterfall?”

Frisk nodded. “Yep!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "light sea green?" "THREE DOESN'T FIX THE ISSUE!" "light sea foam green." "AREN'T YOU WORKING IN THE VERY NEXT ROOM?"
> 
> For all of you who can guess where the title comes from, good for you, I'm a huge a fan. lol
> 
> I love baking! Can you imagine turning into a cake? Well, it would save them from having to [rip out their SOUL](https://archiveofourown.org/works/16636661) but then they wouldn't get to eat it. Oh well. You win some, you lose some. Ain't that life?


	23. Fiery Feline

It turned out that Waterfall wasn’t the best place to wash off. Although it was full of water, there was no place where there wasn’t someone. So, they got to wash off their clothes at the same time as themselves. This proved problematic as Flowey, somehow trying not to get too wet washing himself off, fell into the river. Frisk had to dive after him. Chara immediately took over Frisk long enough to get them all back to safety. So, wet and cold, the flower and human sloshed back to the elevator. Getting to the floor labeled “F-2” was easy enough.

Frisk walked down the trail. Eventually, they came across a very happy Vulkin who had a hotdog in its crater. Sans’ hotdog stand stood nearby. The skeleton raised an eyebrow at Frisk and Flowey. “what happened? got in a fight with a water puddle?”

Frisk shook her head. “Nope. We got dragged into Mettaton’s cooking show and he nearly drowned us in milk, flour, and eggs. We thought Waterfall would be a good place to get washed up. One of us fell in.” Frisk shrugged. “The other had to help him.”

Flowey huffed, “It wasn’t my fault! You put the backpack too close to the water.”

Frisk rolled her eyes with an amused smile. “Uh-huh. It was a perfect distance away. You just wanted to see your reflection.” Flowey huffed and Frisk giggled at his indignance. She turned back to Sans. “Anyway, what’s up?”

“just running a stand,” Sans answered with a shrug. “nothin’ big. wanna hotcat?”

“A hotcat?” Frisk echoed.

“yeah. a hotcat,” Sans answered.

“Is that like a hotdog?” the young human prompted.

“…sure. 30g.” The small skeleton shrugged and held out a hand. “Want one or not?”

“Should we?” Frisk prompted. “I’ve never had a hotcat before!”

“We don’t have very much in the way of g, though,” Flowey pointed out.

Frisk dug through her bag. “No. No, when I dug you out of the river, I found some g. So…” She pulled out a handful and started counting. “…28, 29, 30. 30! Here you go!” Frisk dropped the coin in Sans’ hand. She received a hotcat in return. It looked like a hotdog, but with cat ears.

“here’s your hotcat.”

 _“Want some help?”_ Chara prompted.

 _“Yes, please!”_ Frisk’s eyes turned a sharp red as they looked over the food. Then, they dimmed back to brown. “Aw! It’s so cute! Look, Flowey!” She held up the food item for Flowey to inspect.

Flowey nodded. “Yeah. Cute. Let’s go.”

“Okay.” Frisk gently put away the hotcat. “Thanks, Sans!”

Sans’ smirk widened. “hey, kid. i, uh, just remembered somethin’. i have some apostrophe-dogs if you want them.”

Frisk brightened. “Really? Thanks! How much?”

“eh… 30g.”

Flowey cut in, “Sorry. We don’t have it. Guess we’ll have to get going.”

Frisk pouted. “Sure, we do!”

“Don’t pay him!” Flowey growled. “You’ll only encourage him!”

“To do what?” Frisk prompted. “Sell hotdogs?”

“Yes,” Flowey agreed.

“Where I lived, selling food was an acceptable position,” Frisk informed him. “Besides, it’s tradition to encourage people selling food like hotdogs, pizza, ice cream, popcorn, and that stuff.”

“Ice cream?” Flowey prompted.

“Yeah, ice cream. You know, the ice cream man? He passes out ice cream and snow cones and stuff?” Frisk prompted.

“I never heard of it…?”

Frisk hesitated. “You know… that explains a lot, actually. When we get to the surface, I’m taking you straight to the ice cream shop! …what were we doing?”

“you were buyin’ an apostrophe-dog,” Sans piped up.

“Oh! Right!” Frisk handed Sans the amount needed.

“enjoy your ’dog, kid. wait. looks like your hands are full. …guess i’ll just put it on your head.” Sans set the hotdog on Frisk’s head. Frisk chuckled.

“Can I get another?”

“yeah, sure. it’s on the house. what i mean by that, is it’s on you.” Sans set the hotdog on top of the first one on Frisk’s head.

Flowey piped up, “We have room in our bag, you know.”

Sans set another hotdog on her head, before Frisk had asked him to. “nah, really? oh well.”

Frisk giggled. “Oh! Another!”

“Frisk…” Flowey groaned. “You’re going to fall and hurt yourself!”

Sans lifted another hotdog with telekinesis to land on her head. “there ya go.”

“Another!”

“heh. another.” Sans stacked another hotdog on her head. Eventually, it got to the point where there were twenty-nine hot dogs on her head. “now, kid, i’ll be _frank_ with you. as much as i love putting hotdogs on your head, thirty is just an excessive number. twenty-nine? now that’s an acceptable number. but thirty? no.”

Frisk giggled and patted the hot dog stack on her head. “Wow! That’s so cool!”

“yeah. now, how are you going to get them down?” the skeleton prompted.

Frisk’s smile slowly left her. Sans snickered. Flowey glowered at him and turned to Frisk. “You do realize you had this coming, right? Let’s see if we can just knock a few off…”

Sans drawled, “i would try not to let them all hit the ground. it’s bad for business for my food to be on the ground, you know.” His eyes flashed. “bad for business is bad for the offender.” Frisk’s eyes grew round in terror. Flowey looked up at the stack of hotdogs on her head. Sans burst into laughter. “god, kid! i’m teasin’ you. you really get worked up, don’t you?”

Flowey hissed at him and turned forward. “Goodbye, trashbag.” He whacked the stack of hotdogs off Frisk’s head. She managed to catch an armful, though only a few more could fit in her bag.

“See ya around!”

“see ya.”

Frisk carefully walked down the trail. It was slightly wider than the ones they usually traveled, but not by much. Frisk opened her mouth to talk but instead gasped in surprise and stopped. A flaming rope in a spiral pattern with shoes and fire for a head appeared before them. Pyrope bounded toward them!

_“Pyrope–Attack 29, Defense 14. HP 120. This monster is never hot enough.”_

“Hot enough for ya?” Pyrope cackled. A tall white barrier followed by many others slid toward them. An orange wall made to look like fire cut it in half.

“How–is this even possible?” Flowey yelped.

Frisk set their gaze. “I’m jumping through it.”

“WHAT?!”

Frisk tensed and leaped. The orange attack failed to injure them. Flowey stopped screaming and looked around in surprise as Frisk jumped through each hole. Orange was a very sharp contrast to white, so she could see it clearly enough to jump through it. The attacks stopped. Pyrope bounced up and down.

“What can we do?” Flowey inquired. “We don’t have any fire!”

Frisk hesitated and thought for a moment. “Hmm…” She glanced behind herself. Vulkin was wandering nearby. The hot dog was gone. “Vulkin! Pyrope needs your healing fire!”

Vulkin perked up and strolled toward them. “Healing!” it cooed. Fire erupted from its crater, spattering Pyrope in lava. The creature cackled in glee and spun around under the lava like a child in the rain.

Frisk ducked her head and darted away from the two fire monsters. She stumbled across a diverging path. The only thing it led to was an island holding an apron. “Oh! What’s this?”

“An apron,” Flowey replied.

_“Stained Apron. Defense 11. Heals 1 HP every other turn.”_

“Oh! It heals me!” She tied the strap around their neck and behind their waist. She had to put away the apron in order to do so. Frisk giggled and spun around in a circle. “What do you think?” She took off the backpack and held Flowey out at arm’s length.

“It looks pretty good!” Flowey complimented. “And it’s useful. But we should keep going. You’re doing very well.”

Frisk beamed and walked down the path. This led to a conveyor belt and three buttons. A forcefield was on the other side. Flowey thought for a moment. “Hmm… I think we need to press all three buttons in order, perhaps close together.”

“Okay! Let’s do it!” She jumped onto the conveyor belt. Flowey tapped all three buttons so that Frisk wasn’t in danger of falling off. The forcefield died. Unfortunately, when they got to the next area, they were stopped. Nothing physically blocked their way. They were just presented with a very complex arrangement of small islands filled with vents. Some had only one vent while two had four vents. All but the one at the top and the vents at the very button had a button in the center of their island. When a button was pressed, the vent direction was switched.

It took them a while to complete.

Eventually, the two got to the other side. By the time the puzzle was complete, the young human and flower companion had dried off almost completely.

A little golden sparkle was near the trail leading away from the puzzle. A thick wall bordered it with a tiny little hole in it. On a table was a safe that held a little slice of cheese.

_“Knowing that one day the mouse will find a way to hack into the computerized safe and get the cheese, it fills you with determination.”_

“Well, little mouse, I hope that you get that cheese!” Frisk continued walking.

“What is it with mice and cheese around the underground?” Flowey thought aloud.

Frisk shrugged. “There are mice everywhere, I suppose.”

“Hey! You! Stop!” Frisk jumped and spun around. Two guards in heavy armor approached them. Those were the two guards who had been near the elevator!

The rabbit stated, “We’ve received an anonymous tip about a human in a striped shirt. And so we… were going to… escort you to someplace safe.” His eyes narrowed. The one in the spiked helmet glanced at the bunny. “Huh? Yeah, they do match that description… actually, are you the human?”

Frisk nodded, “I am a human and I do wear a striped shirt. So, yes.”

“Damn. Well, we’re going to have to kill you, now.”

Frisk’s soul appeared before her body. Frisk took out her burnt pan.

_“Royal Guard 01–Attack 30, Defense 20. HP 150. Royal Guard member with shining, polished armor._

_“Royal Guard 02–Attack 30, Defense 20. HP 150. Royal Guard member with stuffy armor._ _”_

“Team attack!” The bunny guard announced.

“Yeah,” the quiet dragon guard agreed.

With Flowey’s aid, Frisk dodged the white stars that attacked. Flowey’s vines wrapped around her hand and deflected one of them.

The bunny glanced at his friend almost constantly. Dogamy gave Dogeressa that same look when they battled Frisk. She hesitated and, with a bright smile, washed off a piece of the quiet guard’s armor. Its cooling dirt began to wash away.

“Getting… warmer…” the dragon guard huffed.

“Like, give us your soul already!” the bunny guard demanded. Frisk and Flowey dodged the stars again. This time, the quiet one looked a bit more uncomfortable. Sweat helped wash away more the dirt.

“Can’t… take it… any longer. Getting… too… hot!” The dragon guard took off the chest plate of his armor. Flowey stared at him, and then Frisk. The bunny guard started to look nervous.

Frisk leaned toward the bunny guard and got on their tip-toes. She whispered, “You should be honest with your feelings.”

“Wh-what?” The bunny asked. This time, when they attacked, the bunny guard’s attacks twirled in odd directions.

Frisk more easily dodged. “I mean, it’s kinda obvious.”

Finally, the bunny guard lowered his weapon. “D-dude. I can’t–I can’t take this anymore! 02. I… I really like you, man. I mean… more than just partners. The way you fight… the way you talk… the way you seem to read my mind when we fight. I love doing team attacks with you. I love standing here… with you. 02… I want to stay like this forever.” The second royal guard stared at him for a few moments. The bunny guard stammered, “Uh-uh–I mean, uh… just, uh kidding, right? Yeah! I was just–”

“01.”

“Yeah?”

“Do you… want to get some Starfaits… after this?”

“Yeah, dude! Of course!”

The guards gazed at each other happily.

Frisk took a step back. “I won’t bother you any longer.”

“Oh, yeah! Well, bye little human!” The first guard waved. The second guard picked up the heated armor and walked with the bunny guard.

“How’d you know they’d do that?” Flowey prompted.

“They… well, the bunny guard, 01, looked really happy with him,” Frisk replied. “And he looked more to 02 than us–almost like Dogeressa and Dogamy. So, I put two-and-two together.”

“You are good with people.”

“Thanks!”

Soon enough, Frisk and Flowey’s trail led into yet another dark place. Rather, it was a normal trail until something blinked above them and removed all light.

 _Brriiing. Brri–_ “Hello? This is Frisk.”

“Frisk. The lights are off,” Dr. Alphys stated. “I’m turning them on.”

The lights turned on. Cameras glinted in the walls and ceiling. Frisk squeaked, “Dr. Alphys?”

“…” _Click._

“Oh no.” Flowey shut his eyes. Mettaton, somewhere close by, was sitting in an office. His voice flowed through a receiver. “OH YES! GOOD EVENING BEAUTIES AND GENTLE BEAUTIES! THIS IS METTATON REPORTING LIVE FROM MTT NEWS! AN INTERESTING SITUATION HAS ARISEN IN HOTLAND! FORTUNATELY, OUR CORRESPONDANT IS OUT THERE, REPORTING LIVE! BRAVE CORRESPONDANT! PLEASE FIND SOMETHING NOTEWORTHY TO REPORT!”

Frisk looked around. “Um…?”

Flowey piped up, “There’s a basketball, a dog, a present, a cup of water, a script, and a video game. …try the video game. People love games, right? It’s in the right corner, near the edge,” Flowey instructed.

Frisk walked forward. Eventually, she found the black disk case with a skull on it. Upon picking it up, she was rewarded with Mettaton’s voice. “OH! THIS VIDEO GAME YOU’VE FOUND… IT’S DYNAMITE! THOUGH I DON’T MAKE AN APPEARANCE UNTIL THREE-FOURTHS IN. BUT THAT’S ALRIGHT! I COME IN AT THE RIGHT MOMENT, LIKE A HEAVEN-SENT CREATURE IN A TERRIBLE CRISIS! REPORT IT?”

Frisk nodded. “Er–yes.”

“ATTENTION, VIEWERS! OUR CORRESPONDENT HAS FOUND… A VIDEO GAME!” Mettaton announced. Frisk raised an eyebrow. Was that sarcasm in his voice? Could robots be sarcastic? “THIS ACTION-PACKED GAME IS SURE TO BLOW YOU AWAY! STRANGE ENEMIES. STRANGE ALLIES. ATTRACTIVE ROBOTS! FEATURING UP TO SIX ARBITRARY DIALOGUE CHOICES AT ONCE! CORRESPONDENT! LET’S LOOK INSIDE THE CASE!”

Frisk opened it. It was full of sticks of dynamite. Flowey could only stare at it in disbelief.

“THOSE RED CYLINDERS WITH BURNING FUSES… OH NO! THIS GAME REALLY IS DYNAMITE! I GUESS THEY WERE RIGHT! VIDEO GAMES DO CAUSE VIOLENCE!” Frisk shut her eyes as the enormity of the puns Mettaton had casually thrown in as well as modern references started to make Frisk feel like Flowey during Frisk’s joke war with Snowy. “OR, AT LEAST, THIS ONE’S ABOUT TO. BUT DON’T GET TOO EXCITED. YOU HAVEN’T EVEN SEE THE FULL PICTURE!”

Mettaton flew in. Suddenly, fuses appeared out of every item in the area.

“OH MY! IT SEEMS EVERYTHING IN THIS AREA IS ACTUALLY A BOMB! THAT DOG’S A BOMB!” The dog’s tail burst into flames. “THAT BASKETBALL’S A BOMB!” A fuse popped out of the top of it. “THAT PRESENT IS A BOMB! THAT SCRIPT IS A BOMB! THAT GLASS OF WATER IS A BOMB! HOW DID THAT EVEN HAPPEN?! BRAVE CORRESPONDENT! IF YOU DON’T DEFUSE ALL OF THE BOMBS WITHIN TWO MINUTES, THIS LARGE BOMB WILL GO OFF AND YOU WON’T BE REPORTING LIVE ANY LONGER!” The large bomb commented upon was near the wall at the very northern end of the area. It indeed was large, being much bigger than Frisk. “HOW HORRIBLE! HOW DISTURBING! WELL, GOOD LUCK!” Mettaton vanished again.

 _Brriii–_ “Hello? This is Frisk.”

Dr. Alphys spoke, “I installed a bomb defuser on your phone. Point it at the bomb and press the button at the right time.” _Click._

Frisk raced through the room. The dog was very easily subdued. All she had to do was hold out one finger and command: “Sit!” Frisk pointed her phone at the dog and pressed a button labeled “defuse” on the back. The basketball, which bounced around the area, wasn’t as easy to catch. Even when she pounced on it and entered the fight, it struggled under her. The script and present weren’t too difficult. The game stayed relatively easy. The hardest was the water. The reason for this wasn’t because it was difficult to diffuse. It was difficult to catch. Finally, by the twenty second mark, Flowey batted it out of the air.

“WELL DONE, DARLING!” Mettaton yelled as the water-bomb was diffused. “YOU’VE DIFFUSED ALL OF THE BOMBS. NOW, INSTEAD OF GOING OFF IN TWO MINUTES, IT’LL GO OFF IN TWO _SECONDS!_ ” Mettaton zipped up higher in the air, cackling and watching the terrified human and flower. Frisk nearly put her hands over her eyes. However, she stopped herself. _“Don’t fight, but don’t lay down an’ take it. Monsters respect bravery more than a punchin’ bag.”_ She straightened herself out and glared straight up at Mettaton nose wrinkled in a determined look of defiance. Mettaton stopped cackling. “OH! NOT SO WIMPY AFTER ALL, BRAVE CORRESPONDENT?”

“If I die now, Mettaton, I’m not going down crying!” Frisk stated.

Flowey peeked his head out of the backpack. “Why didn’t it go off?”

Mettaton waved his hand. “OH, THE DRAMA! THE ACTION! WE CAN’T HAVE OUR CORRESPONDENT DYING, RIGHT WHEN SHE SHOWS HER BRAVEST HEART! NO! THE SHOW MUST GO ON! TUNE IN NEXT TIME, MY WONDERFUL VIEWERS, FOR MORE ACTION! MORE DRAMA! MORE SUSPENCE! TOODLES!” The robot turned and flew off.

Flowey looked at Frisk. “You… you really stood up to him like that?”

Frisk turned back to Flowey with a smile. “Of course. It’s good to be nice. But being nice doesn’t equal being wimpy. You have to stand up for yourself sometimes, even if the situation looks bad. Well, let’s go. I wonder what we have next.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "wow, you really like hot animals."
> 
> Don't you just _love_ Sans? :P Haha Oh well. Frisk can take ~~most of~~ his humor in stride, at least. No hard feelings between two people that haven't tried to kill each other!
> 
> Also, it's Christmas Eve! :D Merry Christmas, ya'll! Too bad the UF Underground doesn't celebrate Gyftmas. Oh, well. Happy Holidays! <3 And have a [Gyftmas picture](http://fav.me/dcv8sq5)!


	24. Sticky Situation

Their very long trail ended in the elevator “L-2.” This led to the third, and last, left elevator. Frisk and Flowey both looked around in interest. Cogs and smooth walls surrounded them. They passed up a spider bake sale was led not by a spider, but a spider humanoid bigger than Frisk. Although she attempted to stop, the price of 9999g per donut and per cider stopped her.

This time, they came to another maze of vents. Luckily, she didn’t have to press any buttons. All they needed to do was go to the north and south rooms, which both held the shooter puzzles. Upon going north, Flowey stated, “Alright. Activate the game. Now, go left. No, wait, right! Okay, up. Down? No, no. Try going left.” After a very frustrating minute or so, they were able to shoot down the opposing ship. After crossing the maze again, they got to a much easier puzzle. “Okay. Left. Down. Left. Left. Up. Right. Up. Right. Left. Left. Right. Now go up. Right. There! Shoot! Oh, thank God that was quick. Let’s get a move on!”

The very next room was the right. So, they went there. The door opened, revealing a black and purple accented room. A yellow glimmer was just before the door.

_“The smell of cobwebs permeates the vicinity. It fills you with determination.”_

Flowey and Frisk entered the door on their right.

Spiderwebs filled the room. Many spiders hung from the ceiling. Upon walking under one, it giggled, “Ahuhuhuhuhu… did you hear what they just said?” It retreated.

This prompted the second to continue, “They said a human in a striped shirt will come through.” It, too, climbed up.

The third continued, “I hear they hate spiders.”

Frisk had to step through cobwebs to move any further.

“I hear they love to stomp on them.”

As she moved, cobwebs clung more insistently. Some even grew up to attach to her.

“I heard that they liked to tear their legs off.”

Finally, Frisk’s movements slowed until the cobwebs stopped her ability to move entirely. Flowey attempted to stretch away from the cobwebs but ended up getting tangled as well.

A new voice, smooth but quiet like the spiders, spoke. “I heard…” Spiders crept down from all sides. The spider-humanoid monster was lifted down on a cobweb. “…that they’re awfully stingy with their money. Ahuhuhuhuhu… you think your taste is too refined for our pastries, don’t you, dearie? Ahuhuhuhu… I disagree with that notion. I think your taste… is exactly what this next batch needs!” Muffet giggled and stepped on the cobweb filled area Frisk and Flowey were trapped within. Frisk’s soul appeared before herself.

_“Muffet–Attack 38.8, Defense 18.8. HP 1250. If she invites you to her parlor, excuse yourself.”_

“Don’t look so blue, dearie~” Muffet raised two hands and tipped the teapots she held. In two hands, she held knives. Two held teapots. One held a gun and the other a teacup. Purple washed over the cobwebs beneath herself. The purple liquid immediately spread throughout the spider web and onto Frisk. Her soul turned purple. She was completely trapped in the web.

“Why are you struggling? You should be proud…” Spiders climbed the webs around them. Frisk managed to squirm around the web to avoid the spiders.

“Proud you’ll make a delicious cake!~” A spider next to Muffet held up a sign with a spider on it.

Spiders skittered passed them. When one hit Frisk, it bit into her. Her soul cracked. Frisk recoiled with a hiss of pain. Once the spiders stop charging at them, Frisk continued to struggle away from the web. “Let us go, please!”

“Let you go? Oh no, dearie~!” The spider next to Muffet held up a picture of a spider and a donut. “Your soul is going to make every spider very happy.” This time, spiders attack her, yes. But donuts were flung at her as well! Well, they could either be donuts or donut-shaped circles thrown at her.

The spider held up a picture of a cupcake. “Oh, how rude of me. I almost forgot to introduce you to my pet~! It’s breakfast time isn’t it? Have fun you two~!” The spider web began to shake violently and fall. Frisk and Flowey were nearly thrown from the place they hung. Although that would have been fine thirty seconds ago, now it was not. A great monster in the shape of a cake roared at them, baring giant sharp teeth. It climbed up on the web too small for it with eight, sharp legs. Frisk scrambled to climb up the web. Unfortunately, climbing wasn’t her strong suit. It was made harder as different spiders raced down to meet the cupcake monster and attempt to throw her off. Flowey’s vines wrapped around Frisk and the web to keep her stabilized as she climbed.

Finally, the cupcake monster stopped tearing the web down and sat down. The spider beside Muffet held a sign with a spider and a donut on it. “The person who told us about you…” Spiders raced around her along with donuts. Upon hitting Frisk, the donuts cracked her soul further.

“…they offered us a lot for your soul.” The spider held up a sign with a spider on it. This time, only spiders raced through the web. Flowey made sure that Frisk stayed stabilized and dodged the incoming attacks.

“They had such a sweet smile and… ahuhu~” The spider held up a sign with a spider and a donut on it. The attack came true; indeed spiders and donuts attacked them. However, at the end, a croissant whipped through the air and came back like a boomerang.

“It’s strange, but I swear I saw them in the shadows… changing shape?” The spider held up a sign with a croissant on it. This attack was easier, yet slightly more difficult. The croissants were slow, but came back. So, Frisk had to constantly change their place to avoid getting hit.

The spider held up a sign with a cupcake on it. “Oh, it’s lunch time isn’t it? And I forgot to feed my pet~!” The web shuttered and the cupcake monster attacked again. Spiders raced down the trembling web to join the cupcake.

“That is the shortest morning I’ve ever had!” Flowey yelped.

Once the cupcake was sitting on the ground, quite complacent, Muffet went on, “With that money, the spider clans can finally be reunited.” The spider held up a sign with a spider on it. The spiders that attacked next were somehow much faster and much harder to dodge.

Once the attack ended, the spider held up a sign with two donuts on it. Muffet went on, “You haven’t heard? Spiders have been trapped in the Ruins for generations!” Donuts were flung at them two at a time.

Once the attack was over, and Frisk was wheezing for breath, Muffet went on, “And even if the spiders could fit under the door, Snowdin’s fatal cold would kill them!” The small spider held up a sign with two croissants on it. Frisk sighed in relief at the easier attack and dodged this with ease. They hardly even needed Flowey’s help for that one.

“But with the money from your soul, we’ll afford a heated limo~!” The spider held up a sign with two spiders. Two spiders; that was too many spiders. Those that could catch Frisk bit her. Her soul cracked further.

“And with all the leftovers…? We could have a vacation~! Or even build a spider baseball field!” The spider held up a sign with a spider, a donut, and a croissant on it. Frisk took a deep breath and pulled out the bag Papyrus had given her. It was already cool. So, the healing effects of the spaghetti was limited. She ate part of it. It healed most of the cracks in her soul.

“But enough of that. It’s time for dinner, isn’t it? Ahuhuhu~!” The spider held up a sign with a cupcake on it. Flowey sighed in exasperation.

The web shuttered as the cupcake grabbed the web again. Frisk yelped and bounced from place to place and scrambled to keep going higher. Every once in a while, Flowey would move her out of the way or drag them up. Eventually, the cupcake got bored again and lay down.

“You’re still alive? Ahuhuhu~! Oh, my pet, it looks like it’s time for desert~!” A spider raced up to Muffet with a piece of paper. She sheathed a dagger and picked up the paper. “Huh? A telegram from the Ruins? Oh! You don’t hate spiders! You’ve treated our cousins well. Oh my. I thought you were someone who hated spiders. Never mind, then. You’re free to go~! If you want, you can come back any time and I’ll wrap you up so you play with my pet again–free of charge! Ahuhuhu~ Just kidding! You can go, now.” The spider webs fell away from Frisk and Flowey.

“Thank you!” Frisk waved and left.

Frisk, limping as she was trying to bring feeling back into her legs, left the spider’s den and appeared in a purple-bricked hallway. Flowey shook some clinging cobwebs away. “Let’s agree to never do that again.”

Frisk nodded. “Agreed.”

Purple bricks and purple floor were soon replaced with dark blue bricks and dark blue floor. A small castle rose up to her left with a tall staircase leading down from the first tower to the ground in which Frisk stood upon.

“OH? THAT HUMAN…” Their attention was turned upward. Mettaton, in a pretty blue dress, peeked out from behind a corner. “COULD IT BE? MY ONE TRUE LOVE?” Mettaton lifted up the hem of his dress and descended from the tower. Upon approaching the human, he began to sing and swirl around the little place. Forcefields blocked any true escape. _“Oh my love. Please run away. Monster king… forbids your stay. Humans must… live far apart. Even if it breaks my heart. They’ll put you in the dungeon. It’ll suck and then you’ll die a lot. Really sad… you’re gunna die… cry, cry, cry… so sad it’s happening.”_ He set his hand on his chest where his heart would be and then waved his hand to Frisk and Flowey in a dramatic manner. Behind them, a star shot across the starry night that was projected on the wall. “SO SAD. SO SAD THAT YOU ARE GOING TO THE DUNGEON. WELL, TOODLES!” He whipped out a little rectangular device and pressed a button. The floor underneath Flowey and Frisk vanished.

The two yelled in fright as they were dumped onto the hard ground below. Frisk shook her head and stood up. Mettaton lowered himself to the ground. “OH NO. WHATEVER SHALL I DO?” Mettaton asked with a melodramatic flick of his hand on his head. “MY LOVE HAS BEEN CAST AWAY INTO THE DUNGEON. A DUNGEON WITH A PUZZLE SO DASTARDLY THAT MY PARAMOUR WILL SURELY PERISH!” They looked to the right where the puzzle lay.

“The colored tile maze?” Flowey hissed in shock. He narrowed his eyes and began mapping it out.

“O, HEAVENS HAVE MERCY! THE HORRIBLE COLORED TILE MAZE! EACH COLOR TILE HAS ITS OWN SADISTIC FUNCTION. FOR EXAMPLE, A GREEN TILE SOUNDS A NOISE THAT ATTRACTS A MONSTER YOU HAVE TO FIGHT! RED TILES WILL… ACTUALLY, HAVEN’T WE SEEN THIS PUZZLE BEFORE?” Mettaton paused for a moment. “YES WE HAVE! YOU REMEMBER THE RULES, RIGHT? GREAT… THEN I WON’T WASTE MY TIME REPEATING THEM! OH, AND IF YOU DON’T COMPLETE THIS PUZZLE IN _THIRTY SECONDS_ , YOU’LL BE BURNED TO DEATH BY THIS FIRE WALL!”

Frisk looked back. A wall of fire appeared behind them.

Mettaton laughed, “OH NO! I’M SO RAKED WITH GRIEF THAT I CANNOT STOP LAUGHING! GOOD LUCK, DARLING!” A timer dropped from floor of the area from which they had been ejected.

“Okay. I got it. Follow my lead!” Flowey hissed. “Once he says go… go!” Mettaton sang in the background. Neither Frisk nor Flowey payed attention to him. Frisk landed on the first tile–pink. “Okay, up one. Go right three more. Down one. Through the water. Down one, right six. Up three, follow the water. Down two more. Right two more. Up one, right three. Right one. Down one, into the water. Right two more. Up two more, right one, down three. Right three. Up three. Ow! Okay, down three. Right three. Up two more, right four–right into water. Down three. Now follow the green tiles.” Frisk walked as fast as she could without tripping. Each tile made a noise, though from all the noise around them, Frisk could not detect what it was.

“CONGRATULATIONS!” Mettaton cried. “YOU MADE IT THROUGH THE PUZZLE! AND NOW, WITHOUT FURTHER ADO, THE FLAMES WILL BE DEACTIVATED!” The flames died immediately. “NO MORE FIRE! BUT IT’S AS THE PHRASE GOES: ‘OUT OF FIRE AND INTO THE FRYING PAN.’ SINCE YOU COMPLETED THE PUZZLE, I DEACTIVATED THE FLAMES. BUT YOU STEPPED ON GREEN TILES. NOW YOU’LL HAVE TO FIGHT A MONSTER. AND THAT MONSTER IS ME!” Mettaton descended from the air and hit the ground in front of her. Mettaton attacks!

Frisk’s cracked soul appeared before her. “Um… I don’t know about this Flowey.”

_“Mettaton–Attack 30, Defense 999. HP ??? His metal body still renders him invulnerable to attack.”_

“THIS IS IT, DARLING! TIME TO SAY GOODBYE!” Mettaton trilled.

_Briiing!_

“IS THAT YOUR PHONE, DARLING? YOU BETTER ANSWER IT!”

Frisk picked up her phone. Dr. Alphys’ voice came through the receiver. “He’s tricking you. There’s one last thing I installed–a yellow monster soul shaped button. Press it.” _Click._

Frisk pressed the upside-down yellow heart on the back of her phone. At first, nothing happened. Mettaton cackled, “IS THAT ALL YOU GOT, SWEET-HEART?” Then, her cracked heart soul rotated so that it was upside down. It flashed in gold light. Frisk touched her hand to it. A tiny yellow bullet shot from the bottom–top?–of her heart to Mettaton.

Mettaton shuttered. “OH. OOOOOOOOH! OH NO! YOU’VE DEFEATED ME!” Mettaton waved his hands in a grand manner. “OH NO! HOW COULD THIS HAPPEN TO ME! YOU WERE STRONGER THAN I THOUGHT, ETC, ETC!” Mettaton lowered his hands and looked to the ground. The cameras ticked off. Mettaton straightened up and flew away. “WELL, TOODLES!”

Flowey stared at him as he left. “…that is the strangest fight I’ve ever been in.”

Frisk’s soul righted itself, turned red, and absorbed back into her body. “Yes. You have that right. Oh! Stairs!” They ran to the stairs across from the puzzle and climbed them. There, they ended up on a platform that led back to Muffet’s web. Frisk turned and strolled down to the right.

“Er, there are stairs up there,” Flowey pointed out.

“Yeah,” Frisk agreed. “But what is–oh! Just an elevator. See, Flowey? If we ever need to go back, we can just use the elevator!”

Flowey nodded. “Okay, okay. I admit: that’s a good one. Now let’s go see what’s up those stairs. Something good, I hope.”

Frisk ascended the stairs. Before them was a street of blue tile with a blue restaurant. Golden light poured from the large, fancy windows and door. Scrawled on the ground with a giant arrow that pointed to a side alley. Flowey narrowed his eyes. “There’s a note here. Uh…” Frisk knelt and picked up the paper. “There’s some sort of shop here? Uh… yeah, this is creepy.”

Frisk nodded. “Yeah, it is.” She set the paper back down and stood up. “Um, I’m sure that it’s, uh, more cheerful inside!”

“Yeah, cheerful,” Flowey agreed, albeit sarcastically.

_Thump!_

Frisk jumped. Another noise, a thud of something fallen or getting pushed, emanated from the alley. Frisk sucked in her breath and, against both Flowey _and_ Chara’s wishes, darted to the alley.

Two monsters were on the ground, one a purple cat and the other a green alligator. Their hands were tied, and they were shoulder-to-shoulder, backs against the wall. A tin with some money in it and various junk was sprawled behind them, pouring from a mobile wagon like dish soap in a dishwasher. Investigating this garbage were two tems. A third one stood in front of the girls, both of whom stared at the tem with round eyes and both of whom who quivered. Hidden behind their hips so that the tem couldn’t see it, the two held each other’s hands.

Chara hissed, _“Get out of there right now, Frisk! This isn’t your business!”_

Frisk started to leave but hesitated. _“No. I said that this is what I was trying to change, right?”_

 _“No! You said you were leaving! You can’t just hug gang members who are actively mugging two young ladies and expect them to be nice! Especially not a tem!”_ Chara ranted.

Flowey leaned forward and whispered so that his voice wouldn’t carry far. “Get us out of here.”

Frisk gulped. Why was she so scared? They were monsters! Tiny monsters! She’d watched Cammie beat up thugs before. They couldn’t be too different from human delinquents, right?

Frisk yelped as something grabbed onto her ankle and tore her foot out from under her. Frisk fell back with a strangled squeal. She wasn’t on the ground for a second before she felt a weight on her chest. A tem stood above her, teeth bared in a cold grin. Frisk smiled. “H-hello!”

“Hello, Frisk.”

Flowey hissed and spat as another tem attempted to get close to him. He bared his fangs and glared with round black eyes with small white pupils. “GET AWAY! LET GO OF US OR I’LL STRANGLE YOU ALL!” he snarled.

“O-okay!” Frisk gasped. “Let’s, uh, let’s calm down! We’re not, um, not a, uh, threat or anything, right? I mean, we’re going to defend ourselves if we really need to, but I doubt we need to, right? We’re not causing any trouble, right? Um, heh, what about the, uh, Dog Residue?”

The tem on her chest flexed her claws. “Don’t remind us of past dealings, _Frisk._ We said we wouldn’t hunt you. Well, this isn’t hunting. This is you walking in on a business dispute.”

Frisk’s chuckle wavered a little. “L-look! I _really_ don’t want to cause any trouble!”

“Let us go,” Flowey hissed. “Frisk got past the Captain of the Royal Guard! She’s strong and smart and she could kill all of you! She’s a human!” The tem on her pulled a paw back, cat ears flat.

Frisk winced. The memory of Captain Undyne’s dying throes rose up like bile. “O-okay! I-I know things are a little tense, but you know as well as I that this doesn’t need to end badly! We can talk it out!”

Tem bared her teeth. “The Tem are stronger than any human.” She tossed a few words over her shoulder. “Grab the thermos!”

“Th-thermos?” Frisk asked.

“The soul device?” Flowey agreed, his glare wavering momentarily. “Whatever! You won’t need it unless you want _your_ soul stuffed in there!”

A new voice piped up, “hey.”

Sans, lazy grin wide and hands in his pockets, stood at the mouth of the alleyway. “what have we got here?”

The fur along Temmie’s spine bristled. The other tems–there were a good half dozen of them now–glared at him. “Back off! This one’s ours!”

“hey, no need get defensive. i’m not doin’ wrong.”

“Your turf’s in Snowdin, _Sans,_ ” Temmie growled. “This one’s in Hotland. Therefore, they’re _ours!_ ”

Chara huffed, _“I thought Hotland was controlled by the spiders…”_

Sans shrugged. “oh i get it. not my place. but, uh, frisk’s a bit more than some scuffle, huh? look, you got what you want playin’ with these defenseless ladies who skipped a payment. but, uh, the kid? they’re the king’s property.”

Flowey piped up, “We’re no one’s _property!_ Frisk and I are–umph!” Flowey’s voice was cut off as the tem who’d been trying to get to the backpack shoved both paws onto Flowey’s face and forced him to the ground.

Temmie’s tail lashed. “This here human only belongs to person who catches her first! In that case, that’s me. They’re mine. I’ll take them to the king! Now get out of here.”

Sans grinned a bit wider. “look, bud, as much as i’d like to walk away from this fiasco, this is my business.”

“You should have thought of that before you let them leave Snowdin, huh?” Temmie laughed. “Now, get out of here before we personally escort you. And don’t think of calling the Royal Guard here, sentry!”

Sans shrugged. “okay. i tried.” He turned and strolled away.

“S-Sans!” Frisk yelped. “Wh-where are you going?”

“not my problem anymore, kid,” Sans stated. “shouldn’t have put your nose where it don’t belong, eh? you‘ll probably just go back anyway. ugh, what am i gunna tell the boss?” he mumbled the last part to himself as he left. The half dozen other tems continued rifling through things.

Frisk gulped and took a deep breath. “O-okay. Okay, look. I know you kinda, uh, _disagreed_ about… stuff. But! It’s not too late! We can still settle this peacefully.”

The tem holding Flowey down yelped as Flowey’s teeth dug into her paw. The tem bounced back hissing and spitting and waving her hurt paw. Flowey spat, “Last warning! Off! Agk!” The tem lunged and grabbed him by the stem, biting down just below his petal-ringed head so that he couldn’t turn around and bite her back.

 _“Come on, Frisk! We need to get out of here. Shove them away. That’s the only way you’re getting out of this!”_ Chara impressed upon her.

 _“There’s gotta be another way!”_ Frisk disagreed. _“I don’t want to hurt anyone! …not again.”_ She took another breath. “Okay! Okay. I know you’re going to take me and that’s okay. Use my soul to break the barrier. Then you can all go free. But Flowey has nothing to do with this. Please let him go.”

Temmie scoffed. “He’s your friend. He’s a _traitor._ The king will pay well for a traitor and a human soul.”

“Please?” Frisk whined. “I want to settle this peacefully. No one has to get hurt. No one has to get ruffled! I accidentally dropped in where I wasn’t supposed to. Now–” She snorted as Temmie set her paw on Frisk’s mouth.

“Stop talking,” Temmie stated.

Chara growled, _“Are you really going to let her do that? Frisk, she’s threatening you! Both of you! I know you’re scared, but you have to defend yourself and Flowey! Look, I’ll make sure you don’t_ really _hurt anyone, okay? I can possess you at any time.”_

_“Promise?”_

_“Promise.”_

Frisk shut her eyes. She pushed one hand into Temmie’s chest and the other slipped past her shoulders and grabbed onto the scruff of her neck. She yanked Temmie down so hard the tem’s head cracked against the stone with a strangled scream. The tem next to them cried out as Flowey’s vine whipped up, grabbed her around the throat, and tossed her back. He hissed, his face morphing into a fanged, twisted grin with eyes black as the void and pupils replaced with pin-prick white lights. Vines whipped out on either side of Flowey, curling and flexing and showing off the blood red thorns coating them.

The other tems hissed and got up. Frisk jumped to their feet, their pan in their hands. “I-I told you to back off! I told you we could leave peacefully! I told you! N-now if you don’t let us go, I-I’ll dust her!” She stomped on the injured tem’s throat, causing her to gag and flail her arms uselessly.

The tems looked at one another.

Flowey hissed, friendliness pellets popping into existence and thorny vines wreathing around his stem. “And anyone who wants to play dirty messes with _me_ , too.”

Finally, the tem Flowey had injured limped back, ears flat and eyes narrowed. “Back down.” The other tems reluctantly followed the order and took a few steps back.

Frisk raised her foot and stepped back as well. Temmie flipped onto her belly and grasped at her neck, gasping large, frantic gulps of air. Her gaze flicked up to meet Frisk’s. Instead of seeing the cold hatred the other tems possessed, there was _fear._ The shivering tem backed up a few paces, belly on the ground. “L-leave, human,” she muttered, not even bothering to keep the shakiness or wheeze out of her voice.

Frisk backed up until they were out of the alleyway before putting her pan away. Flowey’s pellets dissolved and his vines retreated, but he still glared back.

Sans chuckled. “you really have a knack for trouble, kid. lemme give you a bit of advice: you see a tem, you run.”

Frisk stopped and chuckled nervously. “Y-yeah. You can say that again.”

Sans shrugged. “now, you promise to stay out of their business?”

Frisk rubbed her arm. “I-I want to say yes, but, um…”

“you’re too impulsive and naïve. got it. hey! don’t give me that look! it’s not really an insult. so, you’re going to the core, right? let’s have a bit of dinner.”

“Oh. Sure!”

“good to hear. hey, come with me. i have a shortcut.” Sans turned and walked around the back of the building. Frisk perked up and followed him. Flowey narrowed his eyes. They were very soon inside the fancy restaurant and at their table. Though, how they got there, Frisk had no recollection. “so. here we are. nearly at the end. you must really want to go home, huh? i know the feeling, kid. sometimes, it’s better to take what’s given to you,” Sans pointed out.

“Of course! I’m very grateful of what has been given to me.”

Sans huffed, though his smile didn’t waver. Did his smile ever change? “down here… well, you’ve got nice food. good puzzles. nice adventures. you’ve even gotten yourself a friend or two. so, why do you persist? you’re dead if you enter that kingdom, kid. at least with my boss and his boss, heh, you have a chance.” He paused. “ah, forget it. i, ah, believe you won’t die too quick. maybe even, ah, make it to the end.” He shut his eyes and chuckled. “but, ah, i should tell you something. what with you being honest an’ all. well, i’m a sentry in snowdin, as you know. the ruins are a closed off place. so i naturally assume its empty, right? well… one day, i get to practicing some knock-knock jokes on that door since the boss nearly killed me for botherin’ him at home. so i knocking ‘em out as usual. then, one time, i knocked on the door and a voice answered. ‘who’s there?’” The voice was high-pitched, and quiet, similar to Toriel’s. “so i answered ‘dishes’. ‘dishes who?’ ‘dishes a bad joke.’ for some reason, she just burst into laughter.”

Frisk smiled and laughed. Sans smirked. “yeah. like that. she had the greatest sense of humor. she even cracked her own jokes. i haven’t met a person like her in a long time. well, one day, she wasn’t laughin’ too much. in fact, she wasn’t laughin’ at all. now, i’m pretty used to it. not too many laugh, or take jokes. for some reason, though, it felt weird not hearin’ her laugh. so i asked what was botherin’ her. there was someone there, she said. a kid and a little trickster. kid was blind, weak, not physically capable of defense. but they had a trickster, a little weed. she was afraid the little flower would lead them astray. So, she told me that if a human kid left the ruins with a small golden flower… well… kid, if she hadn’t said that…” The light vanished from Sans’ eyes. “Y o u ’ d   d e a d   y o u   s t a n d.”

Frisk’s eyes grew round in shock. Flowey hid in Frisk’s backpack. The skeleton chuckled. The scarlet circles of light appeared in his eyes again. “so serious, eh? suffice to say, you aren’t dead. neither is your little flower. heh. well, see you later. try not to die too quick, okay?” With that, the skeleton strolled away. He vanished into thin air.

Flowey poked his head out of the backpack. “H-he’s gone? Okay. I don’t know if I believe him.”

Frisk shook her head. “No. I trust him. He really didn’t kill us, or even try to, right? Besides, he just saved us.”

Flowey sighed. “If you say so. Well… let’s see if we can get a move on.”

Frisk walked around the table and out of the small restaurant. They ended up in a hotel with a water fountain in the shape of Mettaton in the center. A golden sparkle was nearby.

_“Knowing that you will soon be entering the Core and ending your journey, it fills you with determination.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *The signal is clogged with cobwebs
> 
> Hurrrr I'm funny! :D ...my sense of humor is awful. lol
> 
> Welp, seems Sans is one-for-one with Frisk on scary death threats! Also, we learn tems are scary. I wanted to put in the bit about a boiled egg (how monsters often summon tems by bringing them/putting out boiled eggs) and how Sans uses it to get Frisk and Flowey back, but decided against it. Sans doesn't need to save them. Frisk is a strong independent child who don't need no monster! But a flower and a dead kid? Not out of the question.
> 
> Also, the "boiled egg to summon a tem" thing came from NyuBlackNeko's (Nyu? I'm not familiar enough to know how they like to write their Username.) "[UT MOB AU](http://nyublackneko.tumblr.com/post/138921378037/ut-mob-main-story-masterpost)" story. Somewhere talked about tems and boiled eggs... Well, I spent a while trying to find it, only to get sidetracked because it's simply an amazing story that I fell head-first into and kept forgetting for what I was looking. Guess if you want to know you'll have to look for yourselves! Oh no...
> 
> Also, "Temmie" is their individual name, but their race is called "tem." Not too important in the here and now, but it'll become slightly more important.


	25. Charged

A sphynx, dragon, and an odd hooded slime crowded around the elevator. “It isn’t working!” “Ugh. When are they going to fix it?” “I need to get home!”

Frisk passed them up and walked out of the door at the end. It led onto a dazzling porch where a wooden bridge connected it to the entrance to the Core. Frisk took a deep breath. “Ready, Flowey?”

“I-I hope so.”

“Well good! It’s healthy to be a bit afraid. But I won’t let anything happen to you,” Frisk assured him and walked down the wooden bridge which faded into an electronic one. The shadows flitted out of sight. The room they entered had an elevator that was not working. Two paths branched out–one going to the left and up and one going to the right and up. The right-side room ended in a pit. Upon entering the left side, they got to a long hallway.

Frisk’s soul pattered and glowed before them. Ahead of them was a small jester with two fiery orbs floating beside it. Madjick pops out of his hat!

_“Madjick–Attack 29, Defense 24. HP 190. This trickster magician speaks only in magic words.”_

“Abra cadabra!” One of its orbs flashed just above Frisk. Little crosses shot out of it. Frisk jumped back. The orb materialized behind her. After a few more tries, the orb went back to Madjick.

Frisk attempted to talk but was cut off by rapid muttering as Madjick ignored her. Frisk closed her mouth. Satisfied, the magician gave her a smug smirk. Frisk shook her head, now thoroughly dizzy. “Alakazam!” The magician cried. The corner orb attacked. Frisk commanded herself to move forward to get out of range, but somehow stumbled back–right into one of the crosses.

“What are you doing?” Flowey hissed. One of his vines wrapped around her ankle to keep her from falling into another attack.

“I’m d-dizzy!” Frisk put a hand to her head. “What just happened?”

Flowey looked up at Madjick. The magician was no longer paying attention to them. “Well, bye!” Flowey got a long, cool stare from the magician before it popped back into its hat and vanished. “Are you okay?”

“Yeah. Let me sit down.” Frisk knelt, patted the ground, and then sat. The floor was quite hard as it was made of metal and it radiated with energy. She ran her fingers over the metal and shuddered. Electricity–no, _magic_ flowed through the metal and sparked upon feeling her touch. She’d felt electricity before, like when Cammie shuffled her socked feet on the carpet and zapped her or when she touched playground equipment buzzing with static electricity. Soon enough, the dizziness went away. “Whatever that guy did, it was effective.” Frisk chuckled and got up.

“Yeah. Let’s hope we don’t run into _him_ again,” the flower agreed.

“No kidding!”

Flowey looked around. “What’s next?”

“Hopefully not more dizzy-magic.” Frisk walked down the corridor. A forcefield separated the little room they entered from the hallway to the right. A little button was on the wall.

 _Brriiiing! Brriiiing! Brii–_ Frisk picked up the phone. “Hello?”

“This is Dr. Alphys.” Dr. Alphys’ voice, emotionless as ever, came through the receiver. “The forcefield will deactivate once you press that button. Once you press that button, three lasers will appear and cross over you. They’ll be quick. The order is blue-blue-orange. Stay still until the last laser. Understand?”

“Yeah! Okay. Blue-blue-orange,” Frisk recited.

“Good. Activate the button when you’re ready.” _Click._

When Frisk clicked it, three lasers raced from the other side of the glass-floor hallway. All three came in a colored order–orange, orange, blue. Though Frisk attempted to stay still, Flowey yelped, “Move! Move! Now!” Frisk yelped and staggered forward as two orange lasers passed through them. “STOP!” Frisk froze. A blue laser phased through them.

 _Briiing! Briiing! Brii–_ Frisk answered the call. Flowey piped up, “What the heck?!”

“That was the wrong order,” Dr. Alphys stated. “This clearly states that the order was blue-blue-orange. There’s something else meddling with these lasers… I’ll warn you on the next one.”

“Wait!” Frisk gasped.

“…yes?”

Frisk went on in a calmer voice, “Why are you helping us?”

There was a moment of silence. “Frisk, I watched you through Snowdin and through Waterfall. I’ve decided that your mission is pure. I will be aiding you whenever you absolutely need it. Your journey will not end prematurely due to impossible traps. I will ensure that.”

“O-oh! Oh. Well, thanks, Dr. Alphys. That’s very kind of you!”

“Yes, quite. Now you may continue.” _Click._

“She’s helping us, Flowey! Maybe, if she’s helping us, and Gerson was nice, and now Lieutenant Papyrus and Captain Undyne and Sans like us, other monsters will be nicer!”

“Please don’t jinx us,” Flowey groaned and set his head on her shoulder.

“I’ll try not to.” Upon entering another hall, they encountered a crossroads. The one that ended up going north headed to a room. So, Frisk took that one. As soon as she entered the room, her soul appeared before her. A large, metal-clad figure knelt before them, one hand on her giant, intricate spear and the other on her knee. Two eyes looked back and forth on her chest armor. Just below was a beak. Was her armor alive?

Knight Knight blocks the way!

_“Knight Knight–Attack 36, Defense 36. HP 2030. This megaton mercenary wields a morning star.”_

“Good night.” The mercenary stamped her morning star. A white moon appeared above Frisk. Small fists, or stars perhaps, rained from above. Flowey yelped instructions to Frisk. When she didn’t act fast enough, Flowey would snap his vines around her feet and move them himself. When the attack ended, Flowey let go of Frisk.

Frisk brushed herself off and looked up at the armored mercenary. Her head was bowed and movements slow. She seemed sleepy…

Frisk took a deep breath and began to sing Shyren’s melancholic song.

The mercenary bowed her head more and her eyes drooped even further. “Quiet.” The moon appeared again as did the raining attack. Flowey still had to aid Frisk. When he did, neither of them got hurt.

Frisk turned to Knight Knight again and continued singing the sweet, if sad, song. Knight Knight stopped moving altogether. Her murmurs turned into quiet snores. Frisk quietly left.

She backed off and went to the right. This time, she encountered a long, thin trail alive with lasers. Although the ones that were close were fine–they were simply moving blue lasers and stationary orange ones–they changed later on until it was one big wall of blue lasers. Frisk huffed, “How are we supposed to get through _that?”_

 _Briiing! Brii–_ “Hello?” Frisk prompted.

“This is Dr. Alphys. The puzzle before you is completely impossible. I will turn the lasers off.” There was a pause. “They won’t turn off. I will power down the sector temporarily.” _Click._ The lasers sputtered and turned off. Flowey looked around and nudged Frisk. After a few steps, the lights around the muzzles of the lasers flickered on. Her phone rang.

“Stop,” Dr. Alphys commanded. Frisk froze. The lasers activated. Some of them bore straight through Frisk, as they were now in a hall of stationary blue lasers. “The power is turning itself back on. Safety measures, presumably. When I turn the power off, move a few steps and then stop.” _Click._

When the lasers were deactivated, Frisk moved. When the lasers came back, Frisk stopped. When the lasers sputtered out, she moved forward. Eventually, she was able to get past the lasers. “I’m glad Dr. Alphys is helping us. I don’t think we could’ve done that on our own.”

Flowey didn’t comment.

Then, they entered a maze of hallways. A yellow glimmer sparkled before her. Frisk smiled and touched it.

_“The smell of ozone permeates the vicinity. You are filled with determination.”_

“Well this is nice,” Flowey sighed. “Let’s try going straight through, first. Look down the corridors as you go to see if you can find anything useful.”

“You got it, Flowey!” Frisk strode down the corridor. The hallways were empty for the most part. At the very end, the hallway ended. A thin metal pathway led to the right. As the walls fell away, they found beneath them was not floor. They crossed a thin bridge… over a sea of liquid red and gold waves. Waves often crested with yellow sputters churned beneath them, glowing in mesmorizing red-gold light. Frisk didn’t need to be able to see anything distinct to be enraptured by its red-gold glow. Like magma, heat rolled into them. But unlike magma, the heat was pleasant. It was as if she was standing above a magical volcanic spring. What did it feel like?

“ _Frisk!_ ” Flowey hissed, jarring them away. “Frisk! Snap out of it! There aren’t any rails here.”

“What’s that?” She motioned vaguely to the red-gold ocean of liquid magic.

“It’s the CORE’s energy,” Flowey stated. “The CORE turns heat from the lava into magical energy. Below us is, well, I don’t know too much about it, but for a lack of better terms… it’s a reservoir o-or a battery. The CORE creates more energy than it uses. The excess energy is stored here in case we use more energy than is being produced.”

“But if the CORE makes all this energy, then why would they need _so much_ extra?” Frisk prompted.

“Eeeh, I’m pretty fuzzy on the details, because this was from before I was born, I believe, but there was a time when most of the CORE’s reservoir–er, actually, _all_ of it–was used. It powered this huge machine and… something catastrophic happened. All the spare energy of the CORE and all the energy it was supplying causing an Underground-wide black-out and multiple busted generators. No deaths, strangely. Some injuries, but no, uh, deaths.”

Chara raised an eyebrow and cocked her head. Though, if she had any _real_ qualms about his stammer, she didn’t voice it.

“Erm, anyway, if this, uh, _battery_ hadn’t been here, then the machine might’ve done more than some blackouts in the City and blown generators as it tried getting energy from everywhere it could. I wouldn’t put it past those mad scientists to throw particularly old and powerful monsters in there and sucking out _their_ energy. Heh. Maybe they did, and we just didn’t know about it.”

Frisk blinked. “When you were born? Oh! Does that mean you have parents? Were _they_ here when the machine was used? Did they tell you?”

“Uh-uh! Uh!” Flowey looked around. “Um! Born! Heh! Yeah, uh… well… uh… um… I’m a flower, you see, so, um… ah! Frisk, monsters!”

Frisk jumped. Froggit jumped onto the path before them and Whimsum fluttered forth. No. No, they were not Whimsum and Froggit. Final Froggit was spikier and larger and darker. His eyes trained on hers with a focus that Froggit could not possibly possess. Whimsalot was dressed in a suit of armor with a double-ended spear in their hand.

_“Whimsalot–Attack 34, Defense 12. HP 95. They finally stopped worrying.”_

_“Final Froggit–Attack 30, Defense 24. HP 100. Its future looks brighter and brighter._ _”_

Whimsalot shuttered and shimmered. Final Froggit croaked. Butterflies fluttered forth. Flies swooped down upon them. Flowey took direct control of Frisk’s movement. Even then, flies and butterflies still cracked her soul.

Frisk, wheezing, fell to their knees. “Please, Whimsalot. Show to me mercy I showed your cousins.” Whimsalot glared at her. Yet, they didn’t immediately attack. They didn’t immediate spit venom.

_“Whimsalot remembered their conscience.”_

Whimsalot flipped her staff nervously before finally saying, “Don’t give up, human!” Butterflies fluttered around them as well as flies. However, a few butterflies were green. Frisk clambered unsteadily to her feet. Her fingers brushed against the green butterflies. A few cracks began to heal in Frisk’s soul.

Whimsalot lowered their spear and fluttered off. Final Froggit croaked again and lunged at her. Frisk bounded out of the way every time the creature charged at her. Finally, the creature stopped before them, ending its attack. Frisk thought for a moment and then whispered, “Okay, follow me. Produce those pellet things when I open my hands, okay? This guy’s much smarter than Froggit. But let’s see if they’re still cousins.”

“Er–okay?”

Frisk put their hands in front of herself and then waved them before Final Froggit. The creature’s eyes grew round as it watched pellets flutter like dust from her hands and vanish. It stared at her and then stood up straight, recognizing that it had more to learn about this world. Frisk waved at them. Final Froggit hopped off.

Frisk, smiling, continued on her way. Madjick materialized before her with a cackle. Knight Knight emerged from the shadows and knelt before her. Mercenaries emerged from the shadows!

Frisk glanced between the two and began to sing a sweet song. Knight Knight bowed their head. She closed her useless eyes and turned her dodging into a dance, barely skimming past some attacks. Flowey snapped at her ankles with his vines to keep her from falling off the bridge. Once the attack stopped, Frisk sang again. Knight Knight fell asleep.

Madjick glanced at Knight Knight and then cackled, “Alakazam!” An orb chased the duo, leaving crosses hanging in its path. Once the attack was over, the orb returned to Madjick.

“Madjick, if you would–” Frisk started but was interrupted by the same dizzying spell the first magician had used. Frisk took a sharp breath and attempted to stumble out of the way of incoming attacks. Flowey made it possible to stay on the trail. Once the attack was over, Madjick vanished.

Frisk took a deep breath and sat down. “Ugh. I hate that attack.”

“Me, too,” Flowey agreed. “Oh! But there’s another room at the end of this!”

Frisk perked up. “Oh? I wonder what it has!” Once her mind was clear, she continued. They were blocked by, hopefully, the last group of mercenaries. Final Froggit hopped close. Whimsalot fluttered forth. Astigmatism stalked forward. What a nightmare!

_“Astigmatism–Attack 32, Defense 26. HP 120. This relentless bully ALWAYS gets his way.”_

“Robbit, Robbit,” Final Froggit croaked.

“…Don’t pick on me,” Astigmatism stated.

“I’ve made my choice,” Whimsalot whispered.

Flowey’s eyes grew round as he watched butterflies flutter in a circle around them, flies dive at them, and empty circles were summoned and shot at them. “Are we in hell? Yeah, we’re in hell.”

Frisk yelped as a fly nearly buzzed through her.

When the attacks finally stopped, Frisk stood up straight. She glanced at Final Froggit and opened their hands. Flowey got a few of his pellets ready. Frisk waved their hands and “summoned” the pellets. The Final Froggit croaked in awe. It hesitated, and then hopped away.

“Take your last look,” Astigmatism declared. Whimsalot fluttered its wings more quickly to give off a shimmer around it.

This time, butterflies surrounded them and circles zoomed toward them. Frisk could hardly dance her way through this one.

“Wh-Whimsalot,” Frisk declared, “Please… we don’t need to fight. If we fight any longer, we will hurt each other, causing needless injuries!”

Whimsalot hesitated and then flipped their staff. “Stay strong, human.” Butterflies circled Frisk. Two were green. However, Astigmatism wasn’t so caring. With a hiss, he summoned a large bubble connected to a smaller bubble which was connected to a slightly smaller bubble and sent it–and others–spinning toward her. Frisk waved her hand through the two green butterflies and dodged the large, slow attacks.

Whimsalot fluttered away.

Astigmatism stayed silent and he threw his larger attack at them. Once the attack ended, Flowey prompted, “What do we do with him?”

“He always gets his way,” Frisk answered. “He told us not to pick on him. So, we say something nice!” She turned to Astigmatism. “You have really cool horns!”

Astigmatism smiled. “Finally! Someone gets it!” Although Astigmatism attacked, the little bubbles were slower and weren’t as bad as his previous attacks.

Frisk waved good-bye and walked off the trail and onto the small room. There was a glowing button. When they flicked it on… nothing happened.

Flowey huffed, “Well that was a waste of time!”

“Maybe it’s like that spike-puzzle in Snowdin,” Frisk commented, “–and we just solved it before seeing the instructions.”

“Hopefully,” Flowey sighed. “Those battles were tough. Let’s save before we have to fight them again.”

“Good idea.”

After wandering around for a while, and touching the save point, she stumbled upon a room with a singular trash can in the center. Flowey looked inside of it. “Did someone… drop coin in here?”

Frisk picked up the bag of coin. “Yeah! Oh no! What if someone dropped it?”

“In the trash?” Flowey prompted. “A hundred g.”

“Well… yes…” the young human answered.

“Let’s concentrate on leaving, okay?” Flowey prompted. “We could really use the money, anyway.”

“Yeah, okay. I hope no one is missing this,” Frisk mumbled and continued wandering around. She didn’t have to go far to find a bridge leading to another room. White fog twisted around the ground below with large glowing orbs upon pedestals below it. The room at the very end held a save point, an elevator, and an extremely fancy doorway without a door.

_“Behind this door must be the elevator to the king’s castle. Knowing that you will soon meet the king fills you with determination.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The CORE is a huge tower of electric energy. So I don't think your phone will work through it."
> 
> Okay, okay, okay. So, I had messed with a few things about the CORE. I got the idea of a secondary machine that took a lot of power from "[Dogs of Future Past](http://lynxgriffin.tumblr.com/post/142495954273/were-very-very-sorry-that-we-got-it-wrong)" by [Lynxgriffon](http://lynxgriffin.tumblr.com/), while I got the lava-esc floor of the CORE from "[What they call 'foreshadowing'](https://www.deviantart.com/zarla/art/What-they-call-foreshadowing-654843938)" from [zarla](https://www.deviantart.com/zarla)'s "[Handplates](https://www.deviantart.com/zarla/gallery/57456341/Handplates)" series. Spoilers for the comic, BTW, but it's the earliest call-back to the CORE that shows it off that I could find. haha I'd recommend BOTH of these works. I don't know how many times I've read the Handplates series (especially since I was there for the first few comics three or so years ago!) and I fell in love in "Dogs of Future Past" the second I looked at it. Whoof!
> 
> ANYWAY. SO, ABOUT MY STORY. Have some, uh, back-story about the CORE and of Flowey! Man, if Flowey had flower-parents, right? ...yeah, don't think too hard on that one.
> 
> Coincidentally, this chapter is my favorite number. :D


	26. Burgerplace

Flowey piped up, “Fancy door. There must be a few monsters behind there. You’re out of healing items. Well, except for that emotionally damaged quiche.”

“I’m not eating the abandoned quiche,” Frisk stated. “But I do have a hot cat!”

“…yeah. We also have a hundred and twenty g. There was a burger place in the hotel; let’s see if the elevator can take us there,” Flowey prompted.

“Oh. Right! Food! That’s a smart idea.” Frisk walked to the elevator. It had only two buttons: “up” and “down.” The up button was dim, but the down button glowed. So, she pressed the glowing white button. The doors closed. Within seconds, they opened again. They were back in the room with a pathway straight to the hotel. Frisk bounded down the trail and to the burger joint right next to the exit.

Upon entering, the cat behind the counter stated, “Welcome to MTT-Brand Burger Emporium, home of the Glamburger. Sparkle up your day™! What can I do for you, little buddy?”

Flowey looked at the menu over the cat’s shoulder. “Starfaits are 60g. Glamburgers are 120g. Legendary Heroes are 300 g. The Steak in the Shape of Mettaton’s face is 500g. Wow. How much more vain can you get than that? Okay, so we have 127g. You can either get two Starfaits or one Glamburger. The Glamburger heals more, but there’s only one of them.”

“What are they?” Frisk prompted.

“Eh, the Starfait is a frozen yogurt-esc drink, right? Yeah. And the Glamburger is a hamburger… made of glue and sequins?”

The young human took out her entire pocket of gold, save for seven of the coins, and presented it to the teenage worker. “Two Starfaits, please.”

“Thanksy! Have a fabu-ful day!” the cat laughed, took the gold, and gave to Frisk two glittery, rainbow smoothies. Although the cat put on a wide smile, she could _feel_ his boredom. It helped that she couldn’t actually see his facial expression.

“Er–hello! You look bored.”

The cat’s ears flicked forward. “Huh? I’m sorry,” the cat chuckled, “–it’s against the rules to talk to customers who haven’t bought anything.”

“But we bought the Starfaits,” Frisk pointed out.

The cat flicked his ear. “What? Why do you keep trying to talk to me? I’ll get in trouble if I get chummy with the customers. Sorry…” He hesitated and grinned. “ _So_ , I wanted to be an ACTOR.”

Frisk smiled. “That’s so cool!”

The cat smirked. “I’m getting on in years, so let me give you some advice, little buddy. You’ve still got time. Don’t live like me. I’m nineteen years old and I’ve already wasted my entire life.” He shook his head with a morose frown.

Flowey tipped his head. “Burgerpants?”

“Huh?” Frisk asked. “Is that your name?”

The cat shook his head. “Oh no, little buddy. That’s not my name. But it’s a real story.”

“What’s the story?” Frisk gasped, her smile returning in earnest.

Burgerpants said, “So, I went out to the alley to see those two ladies, and uh… you know, see what’d happen next… Then my boss, uh, saw me and asked me what I was doing. I was so startled, the hamburgers in my pockets tumbled out onto the ground. Not wanting to lose face, I scrambled to pick them up! But, as I was leaning over, the weight of the remaining hamburgers…” he sighed, “…caused my pants to fall down. Then the girls laughed at me. Everyone calls me Burgerpants now. But, hey! You won’t call me that, huh?”

Frisk shook her head. “No! Not if you don’t like the name.” Frisk hesitated. “Does MTT stand for Mettaton? You work for Mettaton?”

The cat chuckled. “When I first came to Hotland, it was my dream to work with Mettaton.” He paused for a moment. “Well, be careful what you wish for, little buddy!”

Frisk tipped her head. “Why is Mettaton bad?”

“God, have you even looked around? This place is a labyrinth of bad choices,” he huffed. “And every time we try to change something for the better, he vetoes it and says ‘that’s not how they do it on the surface.’ Oh! Right! Humans are always eating hamburgers made of _sequins and glue_.” Burgerpants rolled his eyes. After a breath, he continued his rant, “Why do people find him so attractive? He’s literally just a freaking rectangle.” Burgerpants hesitated. “You know, one time, I bought one of those, uh, kits online… to… uh, make yourself more rectangular. …They don’t work.”

Frisk thought for a moment. “What do you think you’ll do in the future?”

“Future?” he scoffed. “WHAT future? Nothing down here ever changes. I’ll probably be trapped at this stupid job forever. People _say_ that we’ll get all seven souls and King Asgore will break the barrier.” He rolled his eyes. “As if _that’s_ ever happening. _Six._ Oh yes, six souls! Isn’t that great? Well, the next one is just going to tromp their way up here and _kill everyone!_ I know it. Even if they don’t, the king doesn’t give a damn about us and who the hell knows where the queen went. The way we’re going, either Captain Undyne usurps the throne, Mettaton becomes a dictator, or we all just fall into anarchy! Well, worse anarchy then we are now. At least if Captain Undyne becomes empress or dictator or whatever, we’d have some hope of leaving this garbage dump. We’d be strong. But with that fuzzy dust-sniffer on the throne, nothing will ever get done.”

Frisk shook her head. “No way! I’ll make sure everyone’s free! One way or the other. Then everyone can start over and have a new life on the surface! No one has to die or become an evil dictator.”

The cat plucked a cigarette from under the counter and lit it. “If that were true, little buddy. If that were true.”

“It is! I’m going to make that happen. I’m sure that one day, if you work hard, you’ll get to follow your dreams. But for now… I’ve got to go meet up with Mettaton. Bye!”

The cat’s smile widened. “Have a sparkular day!”

Frisk strode out of the burger joint and put the two smoothies in her bag. Flowey looked back at the store. “Well that was… something. Let’s keep going. Save before you go through that door, though,” Flowey warned.

Frisk nodded. “Okay. I will.” The elevator took them straight to the flashy door and the save point.

_“Behind this door must be the elevator to the king’s castle. Knowing that you will soon meet the king fills you with determination.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry, but 4-page-long-chapter. Literally half the length of most chapters, but hey! The next is the end of the Hotland arc! So, stay tuned for that, right?
> 
> Burgerpants is hilarious. There's a small sidequest you can do that will help things between him and Bratty and Catty. Hehe! But, uh, that's... that's probably not happening right now. B&C must have forgotten their "permit" to sell behind the super popular hotel and...
> 
> Also, I'm referring to three endings, as you know, two of them neutral and one genocide. I wanted to refer to Toriel's rule, but decided against it since no one knows where the queen went or if she's even alive.
> 
> ALSO, ALSO! Happy New Year's Eve! :D Twenty-nineteen! Twenty-nineteen! _Twenty-nineteen! TWENTY-NINETEEN!_ _**TWENTY-NINETEEN! TWENTY-NINETEEN!!**_


	27. Lights, Camera, Action!

Frisk stepped through the door and into the dark room with neon lights surrounding the stage. Mettaton was in the center. “OH YES! DARLING, YOU’VE MADE IT! I GUESS IT’S TIME TO FINALLY HAVE OUR SHOWDOWN!”

Frisk puffed out her chest. “We’re ready when you are!”

Mettaton laughed and waved his four arms. “YEAH. _RIGHT._ YOU DIDN’T THINK THAT THIS WAS REAL, DID YOU? THAT THIS ‘ACT’ WAS A REAL STRUGGLE? DR. ALPHYS HAS BEEN PLAYING YOU FOR A FOOL THIS ENTIRE TIME, YOU KNOW. SHE SAW YOUR ADVENTURE ON HER SCREENS AND BECAME INTERESTED IN YOUR ADVENTURE. SHE WANTED TO SPEED YOU ALONG, MAKE HERSELF LOOK GREAT. THEN, WHEN THE MOMENT CAME, SHE’D SPARE YOU. YOU NAÏVE LITTLE GIRL; HAD SHE SAVED YOU, YOU’D BE CONVINCED SHE WAS SOME _GREAT SCIENTIST_ AND YOU WOULD WILLINGLY GO WITH HER TO JUMP THROUGH HOOPS AND GET IN A FEW EXTRA TESTS BEFORE THE KING KILLED YOU!

“BUT FRANKLY, I DON’T LIKE THAT. THERE’S NO GLAMMER TO IT, NO SHOW! NO CLASS! SO, NOW THIS IS OUR FINEST HOUR, YOUNG HUMAN. TO BE HONEST, I FEEL NO DESIRE TO ACTUALLY _KILL_ PEOPLE–HUMANS OR MONSTERS. AFTER ALL, IF EVERYONE IS DEAD, WHO WILL WATCH MY SHOWS? IT SO HAPPENS THAT I WANT HUMANS AS MY AUDIENCE AS WELL, TO SPREAD MY STARDOM TO THE WORLD! BUT IN ORDER TO DO THAT, I MUST BE ABLE TO CROSS THE BARRIER. I CAN ONLY DO THAT WITH THE SOUL OF A HUMAN.”

The lights behind them shut off as the door was locked and the path to the stage lowered. A knock came to the door. _“Frisk? The door’s jammed.”_

Mettaton yelled, “I KNOW, ALPHYS.”

_“…what did you do?”_

“WE’LL CATCH YOU ON TV!” Mettaton trilled.

Frisk took a deep breath. There was no going back, now. “I admire that, Mettaton! I think that you would make a great star out in the human world! But honestly, you’re going about it the wrong way. You need everyone’s help to do that–including people like Dr. Alphys and the king. If you kill me and steal my soul, who would end up having your back?”

Mettaton cackled, “HUMAN, I’VE BEEN WATCHING YOU FOR A WHILE NOW. YOUR SONG AND DANCE WON’T WORK ON ME.” Mettaton raised his voice and waved his arms in a grand gesture. Cameras turned on all around. “SORRY, FOLKS, THE OLD PROGRAM HAS BEEN CANCELED. BUT DON’T WORRY, I HAVE A FINALE THAT WILL DRIVE YOU _WILD!”_ Spotlights turned on and the floor glowed in multiple places. “REAL DRAMA! REAL ACTION! REAL BLOODSHED! ON OUR NEW SHOW… ‘ATTACK OF THE KILLER ROBOT!’”

Frisk’s soul, yellow and upside down, appeared before her. Screens surrounded them.

_“Mettaton–Attack 30, Defense 255. HP ??? Seriously, his metal exterior still renders him invulnerable to attack.”_

Mettaton purred, “IF YOU MUST KNOW, I RIGGED THE CORE AND HIRED EVERYONE TO KILL YOU. BUT TO BE HONEST, THAT WAS A SHORT-SIGHTED PLAN. WHY WOULD I WANT YOU TO DIE IN THE CORE, WHEN YOU COULD DIE BY ME ON MY SHOW? OH, AND THAT WORTHLESS PEA-SHOOTER DR. ALPHYS GAVE YOU WON’T WORK ON ME, SWEET-HEART. GUESS YOU’LL HAVE TO FIND ANOTHER WAY TO FIGHT FOR YOUR LIFE. OH, HOW EXCITING! HOW DRAMATIC! THE HUMAN AND THEIR LITTLE PET STRUGGLE TO SURVIVE AN ATTACK BY AN UNSTOPPABLE FORCE!” Flowey bristled at the jab at his status.

“U-um, we don’t have to fight, Mettaton,” Frisk pointed out. “P-plus, isn’t death or harming actors technically illegal? Um, somewhere at least?”

The robot chuckled, “OH DARLING, PLEASE. I’VE SEEN YOU FIGHT. YOU’RE PATHETIC. EVEN IF I WAS TO SPARE YOU, YOU WOULDN’T LAST HALF A MINUTE AGAINST OUR KING!” Boxes dropped from the sky. Frisk pointed up at them and shot. They dissipated when the bullets hit them.

 _Briiing. Brii–_ “H-hello? This is Frisk. I’m a bit busy right now.”

“I know,” Dr. Alphys stated. “Turn Mettaton around. There’s a switch on his back. Press it.” _Click._

Frisk hesitated and then turned to Flowey. “Um… I don’t…?”

Flowey piped up, “Hey! Looks like you got something on your screen there, buddy. Is that box debris? There’s a mirror behind you.”

“IS THERE?” Mettaton whipped around. “WHERE IS IT? I CAN’T SEE–” Flowey’s vine flipped the switch. Mettaton froze. “DID YOU. JUST FLIP. MY SWITCH?” Mettaton whipped around. His screen flashed in a bizarre pattern of lights. He put two hands to his head and shuttered violently. Finally, the stage flashed white.

Frisk took a step back and put an arm over her eyes. Flowey hid in her backpack. When the light dimmed, Frisk opened her eyes. Fog rolled over the stage. Two stage lights flicked on. A four-armed humanoid shape stood in the fog.

“Ohhhh my…” Mettaton purred. His voice was smoother and less electronic. “If you flipped my switch, that can only mean one thing. You’re desperate for the premier of my new body. How rude. Luckily, I’ve been aching to show this off for a while. So… as thanks, I’ll give you a handsome reward. I’ll make your last living moments…” The fog dissipated, and all the stage lights turned on. “ABSOLUTELY fabulous!” Mettaton twirled and showed off his new body. Black and red worked together on top of gray metal that shone in the light. Even his black hair glimmered in metallic light. His waist held a large box with a floating pink heart in it. His arms stayed relatively the same, though they now looked more humanoid.

A screen nearby showed statistics of the ratings thus far. They were pretty low. Frisk turned to Mettaton. People cheered him on. He spun around and posed. Frisk smiled and copied him. Roars and nods rewarded her. Flowey looked over the crowd. Some people they recognized were there. Shyren… the dogs… MK… Papyrus! Sans! Captain Undyne! All three of them stood next to each other.

Frisk dodged a hard kick. Mettaton’s six-inch heels slammed on the ground near her. Frisk dodged and danced out of the way. Flowey corrected her movements occasionally, but otherwise just gave encouragement. “Yeah! You’re doing great!” As they performed, the ratings climbed.

“LIGHTS! CAMERA! BLOODSHED!” Mettaton cried and waved his hand. Small box-Mettatons flanked by bombs rained down. Frisk dodged a few of them, though she pointed her soul at another few. They were disintegrated.

“Whoa! Look out!” Flowey yanked her foot back. Frisk, determined to keep her balance, jumped back. A heart escaped each Mettaton and flowed past her before they dissipated.

“Darling, I’m the star that everyone craves!” Mettaton crowed and lashed out at her. Frisk managed to dodge, only to run face-first into his next attack. She was thrown back with a hard kick from his leg. Injured, she clambered to her feet and shook herself.

She didn’t have very many healing items. Instead, Frisk struck a pose, just as Mettaton did. Roars of approval met her. Another hit by one of Mettaton’s attacks, however, caused her to nearly fall over. Cracks formed over her soul. Any second, it could break. Frisk took out one of the Starfaits and downed it in seconds. Her injuries were gone. Whoops and cheers met her. The audience loves the brand.

Frisk danced back with a playful giggle as Mettaton struck at her. After the third time he was evaded, Mettaton announced, “Well time for our regularly scheduled break!” Frisk took a deep breath and straightened out.

“Frisk, be careful,” Flowey urged.

“I will. This is so much fun!” Frisk hummed and bounced on her heels.

“Well, you’ve certainly shown your heart,” Mettaton purred. “Why don’t I show you mine?” The glass box on his waist opened. The pink heart floated above them. Electricity buzzed and burst out in all directions. Frisk dodged and shot at the heart at every opportunity. Quite suddenly–

_CRASH!_

Two of Mettaton’s arms, one holding a mic and the other one an actual canon, dropped to the ground. Mettaton huffed and smiled, “It’ll take a bit more than that to take me down! Come on, Darling, let’s dance!” He waved his remaining hands. A disco ball appeared. Lasers, some white, and some blue, burst from it. As the white lasers approached, she shot the disco ball, turning the white ones blue. She stood still in the blue ones. Flowey ducked his head on occasion and eventually just hid in the backpack.

By the time the attack was over, Frisk was beginning to tire. Then again, one whack from Mettaton’s mechanical foot that send her sprawling on the other side of the stage got rid of her exhaustion. Gasps rippled through the crowd. Frisk, wincing, got up on one elbow. Blood dribbled down the side of her face. Mettaton, eyes bright and an excited smile lighting up his face, watched the struggling human.

Her elbow brushed something small and pointed. Frisk shakily put a hand on the ground and gripped the little thing. A blue spear clinging to a metal wire necklace was held in her palm. _“When faced with a problem, WORK AROUND IT! Draw your power from your SOUL! Through sheer determination you will defeat your enemies!”_ Captain Undyne’s advice shot through her mind.

Frisk wiped the blood off her forehead and scrambled to her feet. “I will not give up, Mettaton!” The audience gasped and ooh’d. Frisk side-stepped a hard kick from Mettaton and darted around to get behind him. His blasted the ground she attempted to stand on. This caused her to stagger to the side to avoid being shot. She tripped and fell back. Flowey wrapped his vines around her. Her fall turned into a roll with a passive pose. The audience cheered as, despite her terrible injuries, and the fall, she performed well.

Ratings sky rocketed.

Mettaton waved his arms. “We’ve grown so distant, Darling. Why not a heart-to-heart?” The glass box that held his heart flew back up into the air. Empty boxes materialized around it. Frisk struggled to dodge the lightning bolts sent at her while, at the same time, shooting at the heart. Flowey wrapped his vines around her wrist and pointed them in the right direction each time she strayed.

_CRASH!_

Mettaton’s other pair of arms clattered to the ground.

“A-arms?” Mettaton huffed. “Who needs arms with legs like _these?”_

Frisk laughed as she heard a distant _“YEAH!”_ from MK. She dodged the next bombs and boxes sent at her. Mettaton danced. He posed, somehow looking dramatic without his arms. Boxes and bombs bombarded Frisk. Frisk dodged or shot down most of it. However, she couldn’t dodge it all, even with Flowey’s help. A box tore through her soul, nearly shattering it. Frisk fell to one knee, clutching her chest.

Flowey looked up and pulled Frisk back to her feet. The young human staggered to her feet and copied Mettaton’s pose again. The audience gasped. She wiped the blood off her face so that it didn’t get in her eye or mouth. Mettaton cooed, “Oh, Darling, why do you keep fighting? Do you really believe in yourself that much? Haha… well, this is your last chance. So why not make it absolutely _fabulous?”_ His heart flew out of his chest and danced around. Two bombs protected it. Lightning flashed out. Frisk danced around the attacks and, with Flowey’s help, shot his heart. Mettaton struck at them with his legs and bounded back to avoid being shot as well. However, he couldn’t last for much longer. His heart shuttered and retreated. Mettaton’s legs fell off and he clattered to the floor.

Frisk gasped and raced to his side. “Oh! Are you alright?”

“Haha, Darling… oh! Look at those ratings!” Mettaton gasped and looked up at the board. The ratings chart read over ten thousand. “This is the most viewers I’ve ever had! We’ve reached the call-in milestone, everyone! So, one lucky person gets to talk to me, Mettaton, before I leave the Underground forever! Let’s see who calls in first!”

Flowey breathed, “How does he expect to do that?”

The speaker on Mettaton’s chest rang. “Hi! You’re on tv! What do you have to say on our last show?”

A very familiar voice sounded through the receiver. _“Mettaton… you’re leaving forever… without even saying goodbye. Heh. What else did I expect of you? Well, good riddance,_ Mettaton _.”_ The familiar caller somehow turned his name into an insult.

Mettaton’s eyes grew round. “Wait, Bl–”

_Click._

He blinked. “He hung up. Er…” He quickly put on another smile. “I’ll take on another caller!”

 _“So, you’re finally leaving? Well guess they’ll have to put something_ good _on TV, now!” “Great show, Mettaton! But you’re all bark, no bite. You’ll be filming your stage-plays by tomorrow, tops.” “Well, good luck killing that human! Trust me, we’re all rooting for you to get out of the Underground for good!”_

Frisk sucked in her breath. Mettaton’s smile had fallen a bit and he wasn’t really looking at the ratings board, anymore. Or anything for that matter.

Chara turned to Frisk. _“You do realize what’s happening, don’t you?”_

Frisk set her gaze and stomped her foot. “Yeah I do!” She tromped over to Mettaton and put her hands on her hips. “I don’t think you deserve this, Mettaton.” She picked up the microphone and straightened up. Chara took over only long enough to point her in the direction of the audience before letting go. “Mettaton’s been trying his best! A-and I know he didn’t defeat me, but neither did any of you! So, you shouldn’t give him grief! He’s much braver, more passionate, better at improvising, and has much more dramatic flare and personality than most of you callers!

“Oh, and about you who said he was a traitor: I’ve met you! I’ve been to your house! I know you remember me comforting you when you thought he turned against you! But you still watch his show because you care about him and he cares about you and neither of you talk because you want to believe what you think is real so that you have an excuse to hate him!”

Frisk’s eyes glistened, and she shifted her position. “So, don’t you dare go talking like that. He’s been working hard day and night, jumping through hoops to achieve his dream. And you know what his dream was? He wants to be a star and he wants people to love him. But that’s what stars do. They bring people together and they make people happy.” She took a deep breath. “And if you all really hate him that much, then he’s better off on the surface with people who appreciate hard work.”

“Yeah?” someone yelled. “You don’t need to be _brave and heroic_ to embarrass yourself on stage!”

Frisk narrowed her eyes. “Then why don’t you come up on stage with lots of cameras with thousands of people watching you, huh? Then failing at what you tried to do and made it much better by making it look like you succeeded? Because he did fail at killing or capturing me, but he went on anyway! He went on because he felt that, even though he didn’t do what he planned to do, he knew he still did great. So, if you don’t need to be _brave and heroic_ , why don’t you come up on stage right now and prove it to the whole Underground?” Silence.

She turned to Mettaton. “A-and Mettaton, I do think you’re the greatest star the Underground has to offer. You don’t _pretend_ anything. Sometimes, you mess up. You admit it, but you don’t admit defeat because even the messiest of fails can be turned around! You taught me that today when I was injured and scared of the camera because I don’t think I’m good enough to be on stage. But seeing you win again and again and act as if the entire world is on your side whether they show it or not has shown me otherwise. Mettaton, you’re the best and brightest star out there. I don’t care if the entirety of the Underground thinks you’re a piece of metal garbage. Because to me, your the best actor out there.”

She turned back to the stage. “So, unless anyone has anything positive to say or do, this show is over. Remember: even if you don’t show it, being positive one way or the other–whether you’re determined to achieve your dreams like Mettaton or save the Underground like Dr. Alphys or protect the people like Captain Undyne or even just make someone smile–you can make yourself better. If you make yourself better, you will feel better and the whole world will be a better place.”

A voice piped up from the crowd. “You tell ’em Frisk!” MK ran up to the edge of the stage, showing off his sharp teeth in a grin.

Catty squealed, “I love you, Mettaton!”

Bratty shushed her. “You’re going to embarrass us, Catty!”

Someone scoffed, “Yeah, cute speech. I’m outta here. Not worth the money I spent on these tickets.”

“Then farewell and I hope you have a lovely day because wishing bad on anyone or bullying anyone is wrong,” Frisk stated. “Good night everyone.” The stage shut down.

She strode over to Mettaton and set the microphone down.

Mettaton stared at her. “Did Blooky really say that he missed me?”

“Napsablook’s TV was only set to one channel,” Frisk admitted.

Mettaton blinked. “Why would you say that? They’ll just think I’m weak and pathetic.”

“I’m sorry,” Frisk sighed. “But I couldn’t see you get torn up like that. I know how it feels. I wouldn’t want even my worst enemy to feel that.”

Flowey squeaked, “You do?”

“I dance, remember? Sometimes it’s on stage,” Frisk pointed out. “Now, are you okay?”

“…you’ve proven yourself stronger than I anticipated. Perhaps you do have the strength to make it past King Asgore,” Mettaton admitted. “But, this suit’s energy consumption is… not the best. Soon my batteries will drain and I’ll… heh. You have bigger problems on your head, darling. I’ll be fine. Go! Fulfill your destiny.” Mettaton flashed one last smile at Frisk before his eyes and glowing heart dulled.

Dr. Alphys unlocked the door and shuffled inside. “Mettaton?” For the first time Frisk, or Flowey, had ever seen, Dr. Alphys’ voice changed, and her face contorted into a strange emotion. It was not the cold curiosity the scientist often held when she was not void of emotion. It was surprise and… fear?

The scientist pushed past Frisk and knelt. “…it’s the batteries. Thank God. He’ll live–” Dr. Alphys’ expression of relief melted away. It was replaced by the same emotionlessness Frisk knew. “My project will continue to function. You may leave, Frisk.”

Frisk nodded and limped out of the room. From there, the exhausted human trudged down the hall and to the elevator. She nearly pressed the button when Dr. Alphys’ voice called from the hallway: “Wait!”

Frisk turned around and watched the reptilian scientist approach. “Hello, Dr. Alphys. Did you need something?”

Dr. Alphys stopped in front of Frisk. “Yes. You know that the barrier can be broken. But did you hear about the legends of a being with a powerful soul being able to pass through it?”

Frisk nodded. “Yeah. If I can make it, I _could_ go past King Asgore and through the barrier.”

“That’s only partially true. Your soul is strong, but not strong enough. In order to leave, you must absorb the soul of a monster,” Dr. Alphys stated. “But not just any monster: a boss monster. The only boss monster in the Underground is King Asgore. In order to leave, if you want to survive long enough to help the monsters without dying, you’ll need to kill King Asgore and take his soul. Do with this information what you wish. Goodbye.” Dr. Alphys turned and shuffled down the hallway, back to Mettaton.

Frisk watched Dr. Alphys go. “I’ll… I’ll have to _kill_ him?”

Flowey nodded. “If you want to leave.”

“B-but I don’t want to kill anyone! I just want to help them break the barrier and be free.”

“Frisk, let me give it to you straight. Either you kill King Asgore and go find a human soul to use, meaning you kill a _human_ , or you die and give up your own,” the flower stated.

“What should I do?” she asked helplessly.

“…honestly, Frisk… it’s better if you keep your soul, okay? Just trust me. The monsters Underground, if they got the chance, would just start another war. Then they’d die. But you’re a good soul, okay? Let’s go. Time waits for no one, Frisk.”

Frisk nodded and stepped through the elevator. The trip to the castle seemed to take a very long time–much longer than any of the other elevators. Frisk stared at her feet. So, it was a choice. It was either King Asgore, the king of all monsters, or Frisk, the blind child that stumbled upon monster land. She traveled the Underground for days. She made friends. She laughed and sang and danced. She dodged and deflected attacks. She met new people all around the Underground. Yet, everyone looked up to King Asgore. What right did Frisk have to take his life? Yet, the thought of dying… now, after finding happiness for the first time in so long… after finding a reason to live…

The elevator stopped. She stepped out. Their solemn journey through the gray-brick hallway was completely silent. The only noise came from Frisk’s feet on the ground and the sound of her breath. Some distance away, the rest of the city buzzed. Buildings of all shapes and sizes filled the underground. Activity filled the streets. So many souls, so many lives, all clustered together so tight.

She came to a stop. A golden sparkle was before her.

_“Determination.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So concludes the Hotland arc!
> 
> Isn't Mettaton _fabulous?_ I was really looking forward to the actual stage since Frisk loves dancing. Unfortunately, she never got to be on any big and flashy stages. Only the old wood ones of small school/community dances/plays with a handful of people. Oh well. At least they had fun!
> 
> Also, it's at this point in the game that you can go back and look through Hotland and see how painfully obvious Mettaton and Dr. Alphys were being. Like, how did we _not_ see how fake everything was?
> 
> Anyway, be seeing you guys in the longest arc of the book with _ten goddamn chapters_ : Kingdom!


	28. New Home

A house, quite like the one in the Ruins save for the fact that it was completely monotone, stretched out before a young human child. A buttercup inside of a dull blue-purple backpack slung over her back was turned forward. When Frisk walked in, she found that the house was almost the exact same layout as the quaint house that Toriel lived in. The gate to the stairs was closed by a two-lock chain. There was a note attached. Flowey read aloud, “‘Howdy! I’m in the garden. The keys are on the kitchen and the bedroom if you need me.’ Sounds like him.”

Frisk hesitated and then went into the first bedroom, the bedroom that was in the same place as the one Toriel had offered. Two presents were there. Frisk looked around and touched the left bed.

_“My bed.”_

Curious, Frisk looked to the other bed.

_“His bed.”_

“Are there kids here?” Frisk prompted.

Flowey shook his head. “Not anymore.”

“Do you know–?”

“No.”

Frisk, taken aback by Flowey’s sharp attitude, turned away from him.

Flowey stated, “Open the presents. They’re for you.”

“Are they? But there’s no note–”

“Just do it.”

“Okay.” Frisk opened the first. There was a little heart-shaped locket in it. She rubbed her fingers over the little silver heart. She could almost feel it beating.

_“Heart Locket: Defense 15. It says ‘Best Friends Forever.’”_

Frisk held it to her chest and opened the next one. A dagger was inside of it.

_“Worn Dagger: Attack 15. Perfect for cutting plants and vines.”_

Frisk picked that one up, too. She looked at Flowey. He did not react. “Do these belong to someone?”

“You,” Flowey stated. “Just… take them.”

Frisk nodded. “Okay.” The string was thrown behind her head and the heart locket fell over her chest. It turned a jungle green. She took off the apron and put it away. She had to put away the pan, too, to hold the dagger. She turned and walked down the hallway. Two froggits bounded out from behind some vases of golden flowers. Frisk’s soul glowed and appeared before her.

The first froggit croaked, “A long time ago, a human fell into the Ruins.”

The second continued, “Injured by it’s fall, the human called out for help.”

Before Frisk could react, the two monsters hopped out of the house. Frisk turned around. A green key was on the desk. Frisk put it in her pocket before continuing down the hallway. Two Whimsums fluttered forth. Frisk’s soul appeared before her.

The first whispered, “Prince Asriel, the king’s son, heard the human’s call.”

The second one continued, “He brought the human back to the castle.”

The two fluttered off. Unknown to Frisk, tears began to form in Flowey’s eyes.

The dining room-living room set up was quite a bit like Toriel’s–down to the chair by the fireplace whose coals were still warm. Three moldsmalls rolled in front of Frisk. The first gurgled, “Over time, Prince Asriel and the human became like siblings.”

The second piped up, “The King and Queen treated the human as their own.”

The third continued, “The underground was full of hope.”

The three gelatinous monsters rolled away. Frisk looked back at them before continuing into the kitchen. A key lay on the counter next to the stove. Frisk turned and walked back to the chains. She unlocked the chains and walked down the stairs. Two migosps met them.

The first chattered, “Then… One day…”

The second picked up where the first left off. “The human became very ill.”

Frisk hadn’t made it far after that before three vegetoids popped out of the earth.

“The sick human had only one request.”

“To see the flowers from their village.”

“But there was nothing we could do.”

The three monsters popped back into the ground. Frisk continued. That poor child…

Two looxes confronted Frisk and Flowey.

“The next day–” the looxes stated at the same time.

The first hesitated. The second went on, “–the human died.”

Frisk put a hand over her mouth. The two monsters walked away. Flowey curled back his lip and wrinkled his nose as the words, and the meaning behind them, cut through him. Chara’s eyes narrowed.

Two snowdrakes fluttered forth. The first piped up, “Prince Asriel, wracked with grief, absorbed the human’s soul.”

The second picked up, “He transformed into a being with incredible power.”

The two fluttered away. It wasn’t too long before Frisk stumbled upon three icecaps.

“With the human soul, Prince Asriel crossed through the barrier.”

“He carried the human’s body into the sunset.”

“Back to the village of the humans.”

The three icecaps wandered off.

 Frisk walked around a bend and continued. She walked until three Woshuas were in her path.

“Prince Asriel reached the center of the village.”

“There, he found a bed of golden flowers.”

“He carried the human to it.”

Flowey bowed his head deeper. Tears rolled down his cheeks.

Frisk moved around another corner. The wall fell away to reveal the kingdom. Shyren, Aaron, and Moldbygg appeared.

Shyren stated, “Suddenly, screams rang out.”

“The villagers saw Prince Asriel carrying the human body,” Aaron agreed.

“They thought that he had killed the child,” Molbygg stated.

It was not long before Frisk found three dummies.

“The humans attacked him with everything they had.”

“He was struck with blow after blow.”

“Prince Asriel had the power to destroy them all.”

The three dummies floated away. Frisk soon came upon Knight Knight and Madjick.

“But…” Knight Knight announced.

“–Prince Asriel did not fight back,” Madjick informed them.

“Clutching the human,” Knight Knight continued.

“–Prince Asriel smiled and walked away,” Madjick finished.

Madjick jumped into his hat and flew off. Knight Knight bowed her head. Frisk walked around them and continued.

Three Final Froggits appeared before the young human. “Wounded, Prince Asriel stumbled home.”

“He entered the castle and collapsed.”

“His dust spread across the garden.”

The three frogs hopped away. Frisk, biting her tongue, continued. Oh, Prince Asriel…

Three Whimsalots stopped Frisk. “The kingdom fell into despair.”

“The king and queen had lost two children in one night.”

“The humans had once again taken everything from us.”

The three fluttering monsters flew away, leaving Frisk to walk through the hallway again. This time, they were stopped by three Astigmatisms.

“The king decided it was time to end our suffering.”

“Every human who falls down here must die.”

“With enough souls, we can shatter the barrier forever.”

Frisk watched the three monsters leave. She walked in silence.

Moldsmall, Loox, and Migosp appeared before her.

Loox commented, “It’s not long now.”

The three stated together, “King Asgore will–”

“–let us go.”

“–give us hope.”

“–save us all.”

These three stepped aside to allow Frisk to walk past them.

Pyrope and two vulkins stopped them.

“You should be smiling, too,” Pyrope pointed out.

“Aren’t you excited?” the first vulkin prompted.

“Aren’t you happy?” the second inquired.

Frisk didn’t answer. She just kept walking.

A froggit stood in her way. “You’re going to be free.”

Frisk gave him a curt nod. The froggit turned and hopped away. Frisk reached the end of the hallway. Above, there was an elevator. Below was a path into a gold-and-red room. Frisk turned and walked down into the red and gold creation. A golden sparkle was just within the room. When Frisk touched it, the feeling of warmth and determination flooded through her. Yet no words came in response. Lights glimmered through stained glass church windows. Pillars rose up all around her. Frisk walked down the corridor. Flowey, teary eyed and silent, turned around to look in front of Frisk.

Sans stepped out of the shadow of one of the pillars. Frisk stopped in front of him. “So, you finally made it. You’re at the end. In a few minutes, you’ll meet the king and decide the fate of all of us.” Sans shut his eyes and chuckled. “let me tell you, kid. you are one surprising little thing, aren’t you?” His scarlet eyes met hers. “you never fought a single monster. you might have been defeated over and over, but you never gave up. so many monsters gave you all the reason in the world to kill them. but you didn’t. you refused to fight. if you couldn’t reason with them, you ran. if they fought you, you endured every bit of pain thrown at you. you saw the good in everyone.” Sans’ grin faded in the slightest, though it didn’t disappear. “but that stops now.”

“What?” Frisk inquired.

Sans shrugged. “human, i know that you’ve made it your religious endeavor to befriend everyone. but, ah, that’s not how things work around here. i was willing to watch you go all through the underground. i waited pretty much everywhere to see who’d kill you. then, ah, i could deliver your soul to king asgore myself. i could just… brush alphys out of the way and become the true royal scientist. after all, i am much more qualified–in every way except i haven’t proven myself. so, human. anything you want to say before i end your life? hell i’ll give you a… final request–within reason.”

Frisk stared at him. “But… why? Why can’t I just go to the king myself?”

“it’s my job to guard the king, kid. earning a bit extra on the side is never bad. now, did you want that wish or should i kill you now?” Sans prompted.

Frisk hesitated then took off her backpack. “Okay. Please don’t let anyone hurt Flowey–including yourself.” _Maybe… maybe things might actually end…_

“heh. what else did i expect? sure thing, kid.” Sans waved his hand. The backpack turned blue. Flowey cried out in surprise as he was lifted into the air.

“WHAT?! FRISK! NO! SANS, PUT ME DOWN! I’M NOT OKAY WITH THIS, FRISK! I’M NOT LEAVING YOU!” Flowey shrieked and struggled in the backpack.

“No, Flowey. I’m sorry,” Frisk stated. “I’m doing this alone. If you try to help me, you’ll get hurt.”

Sans hung the backpack over the door at the end of the hallway. It was immediately surrounded by a cage of bones. Flowey attempted to attack the bones with one of his vines. Nothing happened. “No, Frisk! I’m not giving up! I swear to God, Frisk, I am going to stop you!” Flowey resumed attacking the cage with all he had–vines, pellets, and even his own head and teeth.

“I’m really, really sorry, Flowey.”

Sans pointed out. “there’s a trans dimensional box over there. i saw you use one. oh, and if you try and run away, i’ll catch you so don’t bother.”

Frisk strolled back to the box at the end of the corridor. She knelt and felt around the box. Frisk folded the apron and set it and the pan in the box. Frisk unsheathed her dagger. She felt a very strong presence beside her. The heart locket felt warm and the feeling of its heartbeat became more prevalent. It turned a vibrant red. Frisk touched the golden sparkle.

_“Determination.”_

Frisk took a deep breath and walked toward Sans. He glanced down at the worn dagger and laughed, “that puny little thing’s your weapon? what are you going to do, poke me?”

Frisk stopped before him. “No. Sans, I don’t want to fight you.”

Sans sneered. “i wouldn’t want to fight me, either.”

Frisk’s soul beat before her.

_Sans–Defense 1, Attack 1. HP 1. A slave of Fate._

“flowers are blooming, birds are singing. kids like you…” Sans eyes grew dark. “should just give up and _die._ ” Sans left hand left his pocket. Red light swirled around his fingers. Frisk’s soul turned blue. She was thrown into the air and then slammed into the floor. She hit the floor with enough force to crack the tile.

_Frisk–Defense 15, Attack 15. HP 20. Blind. Determined to SAVE monsters._

Frisk, gasping and wheezing, attempted to get up. Her crushed ribs punished every movement, brought pain to every twitch of a muscle–including the expanding and contracting of her lungs. Sans’ hand went back into his pocket. A wall of bones shot up. _Shirk! Chink…_

 

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

Frisk shook her head. She stood beside her box. Chara wasn’t going to let it end that easily, was she? The young human walked to Sans. The skeleton’s smile widened. “huh. i’m good at my job, eh? too bad i couldn’t take your soul. welp, time to try again.”

Frisk jumped back to avoid the bones. Frisk’s soul turned blue. She was thrown into the air and dropped. Frisk waved her arms and braced herself. She landed on the ground in a roll. Bones shot up. _Shirk! Chink…_

 

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

Frisk immediately walked to Sans. The skeleton huffed, “odd. you’re still kicking? well, third time’s the charm. bye.” Frisk jumped out of the way of the first row of bones. After being thrown in the air, she landed in a roll. Frisk jumped back up to get away from the next bone attack. Bones raced up from an angle behind Frisk. Frisk was thrown forward. Somehow, the bones didn’t kill her. She attempted to dodge the next bout. The bones whacked her straight out of the air and threw her to the ground. Frisk whimpered and got up on one elbow. Her soul, severely cracked, hung before her chest.

Sans’ right eye vanished. The left one glowed in bright red energy. Sans raised his left hand, glimmering in the same red energy. Skulls appeared out of thin air. The canid skulls were much larger than Frisk and Sans. Red pupils glowed in their eye sockets. All at once, they opened their jaws. Their bottom jaws split in two like a snake’s to open their mouths wider. Frisk’s entire world turned a brilliant white. _Jzzzzurrree-chuuuuueeeeeereereereer! Chink…_

 

_You cannot give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…_

 

Frisk gasped and set a hand on her chest. She turned to Sans. Frisk approached him, still shaky on her feet. Her necklace faded into a deep purple. The skeleton laughed. “hah. that look on your face. that’s the look of someone who’s died thrice in a row. haha… let’s make it four, shall we?”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“Sans, I refused to fight you.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“fifth right? nice.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“I w-won’t fight you!”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“human, just give up.”

_Jzzzzurrree-chuuuuueeeeeereereereer! Chink…_

“Sans, I swear that I will _never_ give up–not on you, not on anyone!”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“back again?”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“I don’t care how many times you kill me. I. Won’t. Give. Up!”

_Jzzzzurrree-chuuuuueeeeeereereereer! Chink…_

“heh. kinda happy you came back. i’m having a great time here.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“Sans, please. I’m not going to hurt you!”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“just give me your soul and i’ll stop fighting you.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“This isn’t how it has to be, Sans. You know I’d rather die than harm a soul–including the king and including you.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“i’d say that your death could be arranged, but it already has been. ha!”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“I’m not changing my mind, Sans. I won’t fight you!”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“how many times are we going to do this, human?”

_Jzzzzurrree-chuuuuueeeeeereereereer! Chink…_

“Please, Sans. Stop this. Just… relax. We can get through this.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“what are you trying to accomplish? i’m going to kill you!”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“You can kill me a hundred times, Sans, I don’t care. But I’m going to do what’s right.”

_Jzzzzurrree-chuuuuueeeeeereereereer! Chink…_

“if it’s about doing what’s ‘right’ then i’d suggest giving up your soul.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“I’m going to talk to King Asgore.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“you won’t talk to anyone ever again, kid.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“I’m talking to you, aren’t I?”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“ha! you are determined, aren’t you? too bad that won’t make a difference.”

_Jzzzzurrree-chuuuuueeeeeereereereer! Chink…_

“I’m _determined_ to save you! All of you!”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“the most ‘determined’ thing you can do right now is to, ah, completely give up.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“I will never give up, Sans. Not on you, not on anyone.”

_Jzzzzurrree-chuuuuueeeeeereereereer! Chink…_

“kid, the pain won’t stop. no matter what you say, i’ll always be right here to meet ya.”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“Sans, please… listen to me!”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“Sans, please… just listen…”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“Sans… please…”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“Sans…”

_Jzzzzurrree-chuuuuueeeeeereereereer! Chink…_

“Please…”

_Shirk! Chink…_

“P-please…”

_Shirk! Chink…_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the Kingdom arc!
> 
> Do you wanna have a bad time? Haha But really. Sans attacks you in the pacifist route in the very end. I don't think he attacks you in the genocide run, though, ironically.  
>    
>  ~~I had way too much fun with the end dialogue portion...~~


	29. Broken Heart

Frisk appeared before the golden sparkle. She tried to move but instead slumped to her knees. The worn dagger skittered away from her.

“how many times?” Sans goaded. “when are you going to learn to just _quit?_ _”_

Flowey, still hanging from the doorway, watched her with round eyes. “Cha–Frisk! No! Don’t give up! Hang in there!”

Frisk opened her eyes. She saw nothing but the gold and red blur of the floor and the black and red of their sweater and pants. The little purple heart dangled from a chain around her neck. Yet, as it tapped against her chest, it dulled into a sharp silver. The young human took a deep breath and shook her head. “I’m sorry, Flowey. But I don’t know how much more I can take.”

“it’s easy!” Sans crowed and wave his arms before him. “just give up!”

Flowey hissed at Sans and then turned to Frisk. “Don’t! Frisk, I believe in you. This isn’t who you are. You’re kind! You’re brave! You’re stubborn! You’re _determined!”_

Frisk shut her eyes and shook her head. “No, Flowey. Think about it. This is just going to happen again and again. I’m going to try and talk to Sans and then he’ll kill me. That’s it. That’s all there is to it. So… why bother?”

“Why bo–Frisk! No, that’s not you!” Flowey cried. “Stop it! Stop it _now!_ ”

Frisk shut her eyes and shook her head. “You can have the candy if you want.”

They could hear Sans take a few steps forward. A heat, a body of energy, warmed the clothes on her left. A hand, small and pale like Frisk’s, landed on her shoulder. Frisk didn’t look up. Chara’s presence surrounded her like a heater. _“Frisk! Stay determined.”_

“I can’t,” Frisk mumbled. “What am I doing?”

 _“Giving up,”_ Chara stated. _“You are giving up. Your determination is fading. Soon, Flowey’s determination will overcome yours. Soon, you won’t be able to reset. If you die, you won’t be able to pull yourself back.”_

“But what’s the point?” Frisk inquired with a short shrug. “Why? What does struggling do? Nothing. You can’t make your dreams come true through determination. It’s not possible.” Sans’ feet stopped before her.

_“The point? Your life is the point. But you do not realize that, do you? Then let me ask you another question: if you will not fight for yourself, would you fight for Flowey?”_

“Of course,” Frisk stated immediately. “But he’s safe! Sans wouldn’t… he… he wouldn’t hurt him.”

 _“Who’s going to stop him once you’re dead? Who’ll believe Flowey when Sans betrays him?”_ Chara inquired. A red bone materialized before Sans. He raised his hand.

“I will.”

 _“Determination. You will defeat Sans. You will not kill him, but you will defeat him. Fight, Frisk! Fight for what you believe in. Fight for WHO you believe in! Now!”_ Chara’s voice hissed. _“I will help you.”_

Sans chuckled, “better luck next time, kid. see you in the next life.”

The scarlet bone came down and then shattered. Chara’s blood red dagger, now held steadfast in her hand, cut through the attack like a hot knife through butter. Her heart locket flashed a brilliant red. She looked up at him with bright scarlet eyes. They were clear, bright, nearly glowing with a light of their own. Sans’ eyes widened in surprise. Chara lunged and stabbed the air near Sans’ head. He teleported back. Chara gave chase. Any time he tried to summon an attack, he left himself open for another potentially lethal blow. Frisk now saw Sans in perfect clarity while the rest of the world was still a blur.

_Chara Dreemurr–Attack 99, Defense 99. HP 99. DETERMINATION. Wields the True Knife. Awake with both eyes open._

After Chara’s third strike, Sans got over his surprise. He raised bones from the floor. Chara dodged them. From the ceiling and midair, bones struck at them. Chara dodged them. She sliced through the ones they were unable to evade.

“finally fighting back, i see?” Sans sneered and teleported away from another attack. “stooping to my level? finally losing that cute, innocent façade that you love so much?”

Frisk stood up straight and glowered at him. Chara stepped out long enough to let her speak. “No. Sans, being nice doesn’t mean being defenseless. Being kind doesn’t mean rolling over. It means that you care for people and you believe in people. When you truly care for something, someone, there is _nothing_ you won’t do. Yet murder isn’t a consequence of fighting. Murder is a consequence of _losing._ ”

“losing? hah!” Sans laughed. “so when i killed you all those times, i was just losing?”

“Yes.” Frisk ducked out of the way of a Gaster Blaster and leaped out of an area that soon became a pit of bones. “You believe that murder is your only option, Sans, but it isn’t!”

“you know _nothing_ , do you?” Sans huffed. “you really are an idiot.”

Frisk shook her head. “I’m not an idiot. Sans, you are a noble, powerful skeleton. You have the potential to be great, to be kind, to be caring. But you’ve become bitter and gained malice from the world’s treatment of you. But that doesn’t have to go on.”

“stop talking like you know me!” Sans snarled and waved his hands. Red and white bones were launched at a great speed. Chara took over. She dodged these, too. Sans snarled, “stop it! Just–shut up and die!” He tore his hand into the air. Chara jumped. The entire area around her bristled with white and red.

Then, the section below her vanished, revealing the ground again. Chara landed heavily on the tile floor. The remaining pellets vanished. Chara looked up. Flowey watched her with round eyes. “Go on, Chara! I believe in you!”

The bones vanished. Sans snarled in frustration. Sweat glistened in the light. His stance was a bit looser, a bit less steady. _Sans is getting tired._ Sans waved his hands. Bones flew from the air around Chara. Gaster Blasters formed around her. Sans staggered as he threw off his own balance with the spell. Chara dodged attack after attack. Finally, the attacks began to weaken. They slowed down and were less frequent. By the time the last blaster set off, no bones were in motion. Sans waved his hand to summon more. Nothing happened. The bones that made Flowey’s cage vanished. The skeleton, exhausted, fell to his knees and bowed his head.

Chara approached the skeleton. Sans wheezed in such a way that it resembled a laugh. “what now? going to finish me off? or are you still stuck believing that you can ‘save’ me?”

Chara put away her knife and knelt. Her eyes faded from red to brown. Her heart locket faded from red to green. Sans faded from complete clarity to a red, gold, white, and black blur. The red knife became a dull gray dagger. Without a word, Frisk wrapped her arms around Sans and pulled him close for a hug. He stared at the empty ground behind her.

“why?” he asked. “why are you doing this? why are you being so nice to me?”

“Everyone needs a little kindness every once in a while,” Frisk murmured. “That means you, too, Sans.”

“…you are too kind, frisk,” Sans stated. “what have i done to deserve this? i’ve killed you countless times in countless ways. why are you being so nice to me?”

“You know the answer,” Frisk pointed out. “I love you all, Sans. Not just Flowey or Papyrus or Captain Undyne–everyone. That includes you. Everyone has greatness and the potential for amazing things in them. Sometimes, some people just need a little push.”

Sans shut his eyes and wrapped his arms around her. “you are the oddest child i’ve ever met, frisk.”

“That’s so kind coming from you!” Frisk chuckled. “Sans, we have an entire nation of people to liberate. Do… do you want to help me?”

The skeleton nodded. “yeah. sure.” For the longest time, Sans didn’t let go. Frisk didn’t push him away. For the longest time, the skeleton rested his head on Frisk’s shoulder and intertwined his own fingers behind her back. Frisk responded by doing the same thing.

Eventually, Sans opened his sleepy eyes and let go. Frisk let go of him and sat back. Sans rubbed the back of his head with a small defeated huff. Before he could speak, Frisk pulled out a small bag from her shoulder bag and set it down before Sans. Sans tipped his head. “uh, what?”

“Open it,” Frisk prompted. “I want you to have it.”

Sans opened the bag completely and pulled out a plate of spaghetti. Sans’ eyes grew round in shock. “how did… did you really keep this?”

Frisk nodded. “Yeah. Well, I thought I’d need it. But you look kinda surprised.”

“well, he doesn’t really cook dinner too often. He’ll cook for the week and put the leftovers in the fridge. when we were younger, he… cooked a lot. he liked cooking. our dad taught us both, since, uh, cooking is a science in a way? anyway, he was always better than i at it, like usual.” Frisk could feel the joy creeping into his words. “he always made the best meals. during the holidays, he cooked all sorts of food. spaghetti was always my favorite of his, so he cooked it for my birthday. heh. my brother’s the best.” For the first time that Frisk had ever seen, Sans was not only truly relaxed, but talked about Papyrus with genuine happiness and referred to him as his brother.

“So, he’s an amazing big bro, huh?” Frisk prompted with a slight chuckle.

Sans’ good mood vanished in an instant. His dark gaze came back to her. “yeah. he was. he was the best brother. but then he joined the royal guard and doesn’t even act like it. now he has you. so _you_ replaced me.” Sans’ pupils vanished. “you dirty brother stealer!”

Frisk yelped and covered her hands over her head as a Gaster Blaster popped into existence. Sans’ hand glowed in harsh red energy. Eleven more popped up. “W-wait! Sans, I’m not–”

“shut up, you liar!” Sans barked. The food was very quickly hidden. He was on his feet. “you selfish little _bitch!_ if you cared an inkling about anyone but yourself–hell, even me–you’d have stayed away from him!” Frisk jumped to her feet and, with Chara’s aid, raced out of the range of the blasters. Chara attempted to walk toward him. A wall of bones rushed up to meet her. She yelped and jumped back. “just fucking die, already!” Sans snarled. A liquid other than sweat glimmered on Sans’ cheeks. “then we’ll both be happy, alright?!”

Chara jumped out of the way of another attack. Frisk pushed Chara out. “Please! You’re going to hurt yourself!”

Sans, slightly unsteady, shook his head. “no!” The blasters appeared again. Frisk was hardly able to dodge all of them. After a few more bone attacks, the spur of hate-fueled energy left Sans. His attacks began to wear down. By the end of it, he was hardly able to stay on his own two feet.

“Calm down,” Frisk urged in a gentle voice. She held up her empty hands. “I’m not fighting you. Sans, you’re hurting yourself. Sit down. It’s okay.”

Sans, blurry-eyed, snarled, “just–shut up and die!” Bones bristled from the ground a few feet away. Sans shook his head again.

Frisk relaxed and walked toward the skeleton. “Sans, hush. Please. You’re okay.”

“get away from me!” Sans barked and teleported a few inches away. He jerked his hand up. A few bones popped up from the ground between them. Frisk took a step back to avoid the feeble attack.

Frisk shook her head and wrapped her arms around the skeleton. “I know how it feels, Sans. It hurts. It really hurts.” Sans whimpered. Frisk’s grip on him tightened. “You’re just with your bro. You feel like trash because he’s too busy to pay as much attention to you like when you were younger. So, you’re taking it out on other people. But you don’t have to, Sans. You don’t have to hurt people. You’re a brilliant man, Sans. You can think of a solution to anything, I just know it. You’re clever, brilliant, and you’re a good bro. Papyrus loves you, too. Sure, it can be kind of difficult, but once you see it, you can’t see anything else.”

Sans shut his eyes. “you are… right. i can find a solution to any problem.” His eyes went dark. “i guess you’re the problem, huh? you little _thief.”_

“I… yeah.” Frisk let go of him and stepped back. Sans’ pupils came back, and the red light that flickered in his hand dissipated. “Yeah, I guess I am. I did… I did just walk into your life and take over. I didn’t realize I did. But now I kinda do. I’m sorry, Sans.” She hesitated. “But I’m going to meet with the king. We’ll somehow set everyone free. But,” Frisk held her arms out beside herself. “If you want to bring me to him yourself, I won’t stop you.”

Sans shook his head and sighed. “kid, you’ll never cease to amaze me. truthfully, i don’t want to take your soul. but its my job, you know?” He looked back at the exit of the judgment hall. Using blue magic, he lifted Flowey up from the door and then set him on the ground. “but you deserve to make your own decisions. heh. do whatever you want. i’m goin’ to grillby’s. oh, and, uh… here. if things get too rough and you need my help, pinch its eyes, okay?” With that, he took out a charm that looked like a Gaster Blaster skull and tossed it to Flowey, who caught it despite his surprise. With that, Sans strolled away.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "do you think that anyone can change, if they just try?"
> 
> Whoof have an obligatory Sans fight sequence. Thankfully, no one has to go to the hospital! :D
> 
> Also, if anyone wants to know what _Genocide Frisk's_ stats here would be: _"Frisk-Attack 99, Defense 99. HP 92. Blind."_ Or maybe something like _"Blind. Determined to SAVE herself."_ Something about having your eyes closed versus your eyes not working at all. After all, eyes are the gateway to the soul. Deep in her SOUL, she has the ability and desire to save, but her desire for validation overshadows that empathy. However, you saw how she reacted to Undyne's death. LOVE is something she is _very_ susceptible to. She'd only need to kill a few monsters to lose enough of her empathy to become an unfeeling murderer. If killing a few monsters is what it would take for Toriel or Flowey to validate her, then she'd do it.
> 
> Could you imagine what Frisk would be like if you leeched her ability to feel? Whoof, no thanks. I actually did try to write a genocide run through with Frisk. (uncreatively nicknamed "Where the Flowers Wilt") Not to "officially" post anywhere or anything. Maybe as like an easter egg or an end-of-story celebration. "Finish this thing and I'll show you a link to my sta.ch so you can watch my blind kid kill everyone!" sort of deal. I abandoned it just before the end of the Ruins, though. I'm pretty detached, but something about writing my broken-soul, "SAVE or be SAVED" Frisk and turning her into a "KILL or be KILLED" beast was just something I couldn't do.
> 
> It's hypothesized that the reason monsters find you after killing a whole bunch is that you pretend your hurt and screaming for help. When monsters come to help you, you kill them. That's why "but nobody came" fight sequences appear after exhausting the kill count. You cry for help, _but nobody came._ So, basically, Frisk limped about the Ruins crying for help until she killed literally everyone. Flowey, seeing how scary Frisk was, abandoned her around the mushroom area. He'd follow her in secret until getting to Asgore, where he'd absorb the six human souls, turn into Photoshop Flowey, and attempt to end her life. She'd prevail. Finally, Chara would stop her just like in canon Undertale.


	30. The King of All Monsters...

Frisk walked up to the end of the room and knelt beside the backpack holding Flowey. She felt around the outside of her bag. The inside was completely filled with dirt for Flowey. However, there were pockets around the edge. “Flowey? Can you help me out, please?”

Flowey hesitated, groaned, and took off Undyne’s necklace. He looped the charm into the wire and wrapped it around her neck. Frisk, with Chara’s aid, looked over the object. The object in her hand was indeed in the shape of a Gaster Blaster. It was just large enough to fit in her hand, but small enough to close her fist around it. The jaws of the petrified device were together so that they couldn’t fall off.

“Thank you so much, Flowey!” Frisk hummed.

“Yeah, yeah. It’s the least I can do for you, Frisk.” Flowey smiled.

“Aw! We should be getting to the castle now.” She left the judgment room. At the end of the hallway, a sign hung beside the doorway. “A sign! What’s it say?” Frisk prompted.

“‘Throne room.’” Flowey nodded. “Yep. Just about it. Let’s go.”

Frisk took a deep breath. “This is it, Flowey!” They walked in.

Green leaves and vines snaked around the edges of the room and the walls. One throne was in the center. A second was pushed up against a dark corner with a blanket over it. Most of the room was dominated by flowers. Golden flowers brought the room to life. Yet this room’s beauty could not be truly appreciated for the bulk of their attention was stolen by the sole occupant of the room.

Sitting in a giant throne before them was an absolute giant. A cape as tall as Toriel fluttered over his feet. The cape itself was black, though red embroidery brought depth to it. Two large, deep scarlet pauldrons were set on the shoulders of the king with an insignia connecting the two over his upper chest. The king’s long mane of rustled, dark hair fell over his shoulders. The only things to part his mane were two massive goat horns curled up and back over his head and two long, white, floppy ears. The horns themselves were a dark grayish brown, which brought little contrast to his hair and long, straggly beard. However, it did bring contrast to his stark white fur. His deep maroon eyes couldn’t be seen as his head was bent forward and masked by his long, dark hair.

The monster’s deep voice was a compliment to his bulk. “Oh? Is someone there?” He raised his head. His deep maroon eyes were deepened by the bags under his eyes. “Howdy!” he greeted in a heavy voice with a large, strained smile. “How may I…?” His fanged smile fell. “Oh. You are… not what I expected.” His dark eyes traveled over the shirt that Frisk wore and the heart locket that gleamed over her chest. His tired gaze rested on her eyes, the only part of her physical appearance that was not reminiscent of his long dead child. “You know what we must do.”

Frisk bowed her head. “I do.”

“When you are ready, follow me to the next room.” King Asgore heaved himself out of his throne and walked through the throne room and out of the doorway at the end.

Frisk looked at Flowey. The flower nodded. The young human took a deep breath. “This is it. Let’s make history.” Frisk walked out into the next room. It was a small, empty, gray room devoid of life or color. King Asgore stood in the center.

“Tense, isn’t it? It always is. You always feel the electric crackle before the strike.” King Asgore turned and walked down a short hallway. It ended after a few yards. An intricate doorway faced the other end. He stood before it. “Child…” he turned his dark gaze on Frisk and Flowey. “If you have any unfinished business… do it now.” With that, he swept into the next room.

“Frisk… Frisk, that’s the barrier,” Flowey stated. “The barrier is in that room.”

Frisk nodded and touched the yellow sparkled beside the door. No words came in response. She entered the room. Black and white swirled around them. Stripes of black followed stripes of white as they got smaller and smaller as if running into the distance. Black followed white. White followed black.

King Asgore stared at the barrier. “This is the barrier. If… if by chance you have any unfinished business, do it now.”

Frisk stared up into his dark, emotionless eyes. The young human gave him a nod. Her heart locket turned red. “I… I am ready.”

“…I see. This is it, then.” King Asgore turned around. Seven containers rose from the ground. All but one held a human soul of all types of colors–cyan, blue, green, purple, yellow, and gold. The only color missing was red. Frisk’s red soul appeared before her chest.

_“Twilight spills through the barrier. Your journey is finally over. You are filled with determination.”_

“Human…” King Asgore opened his eyes and gave them a hopeful smile. “It was nice to meet you.” His smile vanished, and he bowed his head. “Goodbye.” His hand flashed out from under his cape. The black and red-embroidered fabric fluttered back and revealed not only part of King Asgore’s golden armored body, but a giant red trident. A heavy snort came from his nostrils and he raised his trident. Frisk flinched. The trident came down, phasing right through Frisk. Something frail but not their soul _shattered._ They could hear Chara gasp. Frisk spun around.

Behind them, the door was sealed by a wall of golden flames. Chara looked down at her hands. “I… Frisk, I can’t… I can’t summon the mercy button. Frisk, he _destroyed the mercy option._ ”

Frisk could not leave. Frisk couldn’t run away. Frisk couldn’t spare him.

_“Asgore Dreemurr–Attack 80, Defence 80. HP 1600. King of all Monsters.”_

Frisk spun around to face King Asgore. “Please, King Asgore! We don’t have to fight.” Frisk insisted in a quiet voice. Her locket turned a bright shade of purple. King Asgore shook his head, his heavy-set eyes not meeting hers. He waved his hands. Yellow fire blazed and shot at her. Flowey and Frisk worked together to get away from giant balls of fire. “I don’t want to fight you!”

King Asgore’s breathing got funny for a moment. Fire swirled around them in a twirling, DNA pattern. Frisk stepped within the circles not taken up by fire.

Frisk stared at King Asgore and stood up straight. “King Asgore. Stop fighting!” Recollection flashed in his eyes. King Asgore flinched and bared his teeth. His muscles weren’t as tense. His hands weren’t as firm on the trident. _“Strike,”_ Chara’s voice breathed from beside them. _“He won’t listen to one who won’t fight back.”_

Frisk held onto her knife tighter and lunged. King Asgore took a step back but otherwise did not even attempt to block the blow. She hardly did anything to him. King Asgore raised his trident. His left eye and then his right eye flashed in red light. Frisk gasped and shut her eyes tight. The trident, glowing in hard scarlet light, swung through them twice. King Asgore took a step back and retracted his trident, which no longer glowed.

Frisk shook her head and lunged. King Asgore took this blow. It didn’t hurt him that much, but it made a deeper cut than the last one. Fire filled the room around them. Frisk and Flowey together, though their teamwork had gone so far they needn’t speak too often, could hardly dodge the onslaught. The battle was just blow after blow from both sides. Not one entity–not even Chara–spoke. Neither person stayed still.

Eventually, injured too much to fight, Frisk staggered back to avoid another hit from King Asgore’s trident. She tripped and fell back. Dirt scattered behind her.

Frisk scrambled to get up, gasping for air and setting a trembling hand on her chest. The scarlet heart locket lay on the back of her soot-stained hand. What should she do? She couldn’t fight him! She could hardly dent his armor! So, she took a deep breath and stood up straight. “Asgore, Dreemurr! This fight does not need to progress! We _will_ find a way to end this fighting. Why don’t we just sit down and have a nice cup of tea o-or, uh–”

 _“He likes pie,”_ Chara offered. _“Whenever things got stressful, Toriel would bake a pie and he’d make some tea. They’d almost always get into a better mind after doing something relaxing like that.”_

“–bake a pie and have a nice chat!”

King Asgore hesitated.

 _“The memory of tea and pie reminds Asgore of something,”_ Chara commented. Her eyes widened. _“Asgore’s ATTACK went up! Asgore’s DEFENSE went up!”_

Quite suddenly, his lips pulled back to reveal fanged teeth and his eyes shut tight. He let out a ferocious snarl. His eyes flashed orange and red in the warning of his magic attack. Frisk could hardly dodge these attacks. At the last second, his trident’s glow faded and it struck her in the stomach. Frisk crumpled like a puppet whose strings had been cut.

Wheezing and gasping, Frisk wrapped her arms around her stomach and rolled over onto her side. King Asgore stood above her. His dark, merciless gaze stared down at Frisk. He raised his trident high. The spiked tips glistened in the twilight that poured from the barrier. “Please…” Frisk whimpered. Tears glimmered on her cheeks.

King Asgore took a deep breath. “This is my duty.”

Frisk flinched and shut her eyes. She curled up around the pain in her stomach. Why… why was she fighting? The Underground needed her soul to be free. Frisk took a shuttering breath and relaxed. At least Asgore would quicken her death… make use of it…

Her eyes sparked red. She rolled away from the attack as King Asgore’s trident dug into the ground. Without thinking, Chara lunged and cut deep into King Asgore’s chest. As she took over, the knife she held gleamed red and cut so deep the hardly injured monster gasped and collapsed onto one knee. _9999999999._ He set his hand on torn chest. The trident he wielded clanged to the floor and dissipated in a flash of red smoke. Frisk immediately threw Chara out and dropped the knife and put her hand to their mouth. Chara appeared beside her, wide eyes staring at the king. She took a step back and chuckled. _“Wh-what? I… hehe. No, that’s… that’s not… how it ends… ha… ha… he’ll–he’ll get up again.”_

“Ah… So, that is how it is…” the old king wheezed. He shut his eyes and took a steadying breath. “I remember the day after my son died. The entire underground was devoid of hope. The future had once again been taken away from us. In a fit of anger, I declared war. I said that I would destroy any human that came here. I would use their souls to become godlike… and free us from this terrible prison. Then, I would destroy humanity… and let monsters rule the surface. Soon, hope returned. My wife became disgusted with my actions and left my side to truly empty the kingdom I call my husk of a home.”

He shook his head. “Truthfully, I no longer want power. I do not want to hurt anyone. I wanted people to have hope. But I was foolish and swift in my plans… but I cannot take this any longer. I am a horrible king. I’ve grown distant with my people and allowed them to hurt themselves, to kill each other, for their hope to be put on murder, for what? I don’t want this anymore. I just want my family. I want to see my children. I want my kingdom to be happy again. Please, young one. This war has gone on long enough. You have the power. Take my soul and leave this accursed place.”

Chara waved her arms and held up her hands. The “MERCY” button floated above one hand, broken but glowing. The “FIGHT” button appeared in her other hand. Frisk shook her head. Her locket faded to a jungle green. “No. I won’t hurt you.” The buttons fizzled out.

King Asgore’s eyes opened. “After all I’ve done to hurt you…” He looked up at Frisk. “You’d rather stay down here and suffer… then live outside in freedom?”

Frisk nodded, a hopeful smile creeping into her pained, exhausted features.

The king smiled and opened his eyes. “Then human, I promise that as long as you stay here, you’ll be safe. We will take care of you as best we can.” His gaze got a far away look to them. “We can sit in the living room, telling stories… eating butterscotch pie. I could announce to the rest of the kingdom our decision. We could be like… like a family…” But, as the last word was uttered, the life died from his eyes. His head bowed under the weight of his grief. “No. That’s just a fantasy, isn’t it?”

Asgore’s gaze raised to meet Frisk’s. “Young one… when I look at you, I’m reminded of the human that fell here long ago. You have the same look of hope in your eyes. There is an ancient prophecy amongst our people… One day, a savior will come from the heavens. I believe the one that was prophesized was you.” Chara looked away.

King Asgore went on, “Somewhere in the world outside, there must be a way to free us from our prison. It pains me to give you this responsibility but… please. Take my soul and… do what I could have never done: give my people hope. Seek the truth. I’m sorry I couldn’t give you a simple, happy ending… But I believe your freedom is what my son, Asriel, would have wanted.” His hand left his chest. A dagger appeared from under his robes.

“NO! WAIT!” Her and Flowey’s screams fell on deaf ears. Frisk raced to the dying king. Yet all she felt was dust as the mane of hair she grabbed vaporized. The giant monster’s form evaporated, and dust sprinkled like mist upon the ground, over Frisk’s hands, and upon her clothes. Chara stared at him with unblinking eyes. Flowey hid in his backpack, whimpering and hiccupping. Frisk got down on one knee. Floating above the pile of dust that was once a father, a husband, a king, was an upside down, silver heart. It, like Frisk’s own soul, was seen in clarity by the otherwise blind child. Eventually, it shattered.

Frisk whispered, “What am I going to do now?”

“The only thing you can do.” Flowey popped up behind her. “Go back.”

“I know,” Frisk stated and turned around. “But I mean: what about when we go back?”

Flowey looked past her and to the pile of dust. “There’s nothing we can do.”

Frisk shut her eyes. “Yeah, it is hard to think here.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Asgore's HP is low.
> 
> So, I'm God-awful at this fight. But I didn't want to write an absurd amount of deaths in this battle. It was okay in Sans' fight because who are we kidding you die. A lot. Of all my play-throughs (excluding genocide) the fewest deaths I had while encountering Asgore was, like, three. But Frisk has back-up! ~~Well, except for my no-save run where I killed him first try but lost all my healing items and probably three years off my life lol I was stressed.~~
> 
> Also, we get a cameo from a certain weapon...


	31. The Amalgamation of Terror and Paranoia

Frisk jolted. She now stood near the door to the barrier room, Chara at her side. Flowey sprouted from her backpack. Frisk turned around and set her backpack down. “Okay. Let’s think through this what haven’t we done?”

Flowey watched her with round eyes. “Don’t you realize being nice just makes you get hurt? Look at yourself! You tried so hard and ended up getting really hurt in the end. Everyone hurt you so much. If you just went through this place without caring, you wouldn’t have gotten hurt.” Flowey shook his head. “Not to mention that the king won’t let you go. Your only option is to kill him or be killed by him. Hurts, doesn’t it? Knowing that your only choice is sacrificing one life for another? Knowing that at any moment, someone could turn around and stab you in the back?”

Frisk nodded. “Yeah, it does. It does hurt. But love isn’t always about happiness. Sometimes, you feel pain, too. That’s why I went back.”

Flowey blinked. “Well, I… then, why did things end up like this? Why is life so unfair?” He paused. “Say… I can think of one other thing we didn’t do.”

“Really?” Frisk tipped her head.

“I do! W-well, why don’t you go out and try and talk to Dr. Alphys? I mean, your relationship could have been better.” Flowey looked past Frisk and to the barrier room. “Hey, who knows? Maybe… maybe they’ve got the key to your happiness.”

“Yeah!” Frisk grinned. “Why didn’t I think of that before? If we get everyone together, we can talk to the king and he’ll understand our cause! Great thinking! Let’s get over to her lab.”

“I’m not going. I’m not meeting her again. Go on. I’ll come back.” With that, he slipped out of the backpack and vanished into the ground.

“Flowey! Wait!” Frisk grabbed at the air where Flowey had just been. “But we… why is he so scared of Dr. Alphys?” Frisk took a deep breath. “Well… maybe, once Flowey thinks it over, he’ll come back.” Frisk turned and walked down the hallway. Chara strode alongside Frisk. The children stayed quiet as they walked through hallways, rooms, and elevators. They passed through the castle and the Core.

Frisk hesitated once she was inside of the MTT resort. She prompted in thought, _“…I’m kind of hungry. Do you want to grab something to eat and rest a while?”_

_“Sure. We can stay outside and eat a snack or something.”_

_“Nice! I have that Starfait. We can share that! Now, how about… just outside? Near the front door?”_

Chara gave her a small nod. _“Alright. But there aren’t any seats there.”_

 _“Yeah. We can sit on the ground. That’s okay,”_ Frisk replied with a shrug as she walked to the end of the hotel’s main room. When they got outside, she took off her backpack and sat down with her back against the wall. The Starfait was in her hands. Occasionally, Chara would take over so that she could have a sip of the Starfait as well.

 _“We need to think of some way to get the king to not attack us,”_ Frisk started.

_“Yes. No matter what he did before, I don’t want to see him dead.”_

_“…he’s still loyal to the kingdom, right?”_

_“Yes.”_

_“So, what if we gather everyone up?”_

Chara thought for a moment. Their Starfait was gone so she just swirled the empty glass. _“That might work. But you’d need to convince everyone to come.”_

Chara left her. Frisk pointed out, _“The king’s popular. Besides, we can ask our friends. Even if it’s just them, I’m sure King Asgore will understand the message–especially coming from the Captain of the Royal Guard and the Royal Scientist.”_

Chara nodded. _“Yes, that should be appropriate. But we should talk to Dr. Alphys, like Flowey said. She’s the royal scientist. If worse comes to worse, Papyrus normally has good ideas.”_

 _“Great idea!”_ Frisk hopped to her feet and strolled out of the hotel and to the elevator.

 

Frisk was soon outside Dr. Alphys’ lab. The door opened for her. Frisk recoiled in surprise. The lights were off, so the only light came from the door to the outside and the bathroom. Curious, Frisk approached the light.

“Huh. She left the door open.”

 _“That’s not a bathroom. Monsters don’t have bathrooms That’s an elevator,”_ Chara stated.

“Really? …is she down there you think?”

_“Perhaps. I don’t trust it, but perhaps.”_

Frisk turned and strolled into the elevator. She pressed a button. The elevator doors closed.

Red lights began to flash. An intercom cried, “WARNING! WARNING! EMERGENCY! EM TETHER STABILITY LOST! ALTITUDE DROPPING!”

Frisk screamed in absolute panic as the elevator, shuttering and blaring red, dropped.

…

_CRASH!_

 

Frisk groaned and opened her eyes. The elevator was very dark. The doors were open so light, dim and green, flowed into the elevator. Chara sat beside her. _“You’ve been asleep for half an hour. You are now in the True Lab.”_

“True Lab?” Frisk mumbled and crawled to her knees. Her backpack had fallen off.

_“Yes. It’s… not ideal. We should get out of here.”_

“We need to find Dr. Alphys first. But… this place is really creepy. Let’s find a way out.” Frisk put the backpack on again and stood up. Her locket turned a deep shade of orange. Chara stood up as well.

Green began to glow on the wall next to them as they passed. Frisk hesitated. A sign with green words glowed beside them.

Chara looked at the sign and read to her, _“‘Entry Number 1: This is it… time to do what the King has asked me to do. I will create the power to free us all. I will unleash the power of the SOUL.’”_ There was another one beside that. _“‘Entry Number 2: The barrier is locked by SOUL power. Unfortunately, this power cannot be recreated artificially. SOUL power can only be derived from what was once living. So, to create more, we will have to use what we have now… the SOULs of monsters.’”_ There was a third. _“‘Entry Number 3: But extracting a SOUL from a living monster would require an incredible amount of power. Besides being impractical, doing so would instantly destroy the SOUL’s host. And, unlike the persistent SOULs of humans… the SOULs of monsters disappear immediately upon death. If only I could make a monster’s soul last…’ … ‘Entry Number 5: I’ve done it. Using the blueprints, I’ve extracted it from the human SOULs. I believe that this is what gives their SOULs the strength to persist after death. The will to keep living… the resolve to change fate. Let’s call this power… Determination.’”_

Frisk stared at the glowing screen. So, that’s what determination was–or, rather, what it meant. Frisk turned and continued down a bend in the hallway. Eventually, they got to a small room. A sparkle was near the door. She could feel Chara’s energy flow through it. However, Chara didn’t say a word. A large door with four colored circles on it dominated the opposite wall. A vending machine was beside it. Two hallways sprouted from either wall. Frisk knelt beside a tattered note.

_“It’s so tattered, most of it is illegible. ‘elevator… lost power… enter the center door.’ That’s all that could be read.”_

Frisk got up and walked to the right hallway. It wasn’t very long. It ended in a door with a red panel on the front. It couldn’t be opened. The young human turned and walked around to the other side. There, she found another screen.

Chara continued, _“‘King ASGORE asked everyone outside the city for monsters that had ‘fallen down.’ Their bodies came in today. They’re still comatose. And soon, they’ll all turn into dust… But what happens when I inject ‘determination’ into them? If their souls persist after they perish, then… Freedom might be closer than we all thought.’”_

Frisk hesitated. “Can monsters… have determination? It sounds like they don’t. I mean, I always thought that it was something everyone had.”

Chara shook her head. _“No, Frisk. Only humans can create and handle determination. That’s what makes our souls so powerful, you know–and why we’re needed.”_

“Oh.” Frisk left the hallway and came to a small, long room. Three operating tables filled most of the room. A glowing screen with green letters shone beside it. Frisk approached the thing in curiosity. As she walked, she accidently touched the table. She recoiled in disgust and surprise. It was sticky.

_“‘Entry Number 9: things aren’t going well. none of the bodies have turned to dust, so I can’t get the SOULs. i told the families that i would give the dust back for the funerals. people are starting to ask me what’s wrong. what do i do?’”_

Frisk turned and walked around to the other side of the room. Three sinks sat on the wall opposite two tables. Frisk touched the sinks. They were surprisingly dry. They turned on the one closest to the wall. Pure, clean water rushed from the facet. They turned it off. The second facet yielded the same results. The third facet… did not. White goop slithered out of the drain. Frisk took a step back. The sink filled and then overfilled with the white goop. Finally, the sink stopped. The white muck jiggled and morphed until it separated into three entities.

Frisk’s soul appeared before her. She took a few steps back. Three… creatures floated before her. What were they? All of them looked to be a giant, morphing amalgamation of faces with a tail slithering out of the back of the “head.” All three said nothing and did nothing but shift and change as if they were made by half-melted gelatin.

Frisk turned to Chara. The spirit shrugged. _“I know nothing of these creatures.”_

Frisk turned back to them. Then, their whole bodies shuddered, and they slid onto the floor with a gross _shlorp._ When their mouths opened, all that came out were printer noises.

“They can’t speak…” Frisk muttered. “Can they talk, just not speak well?” She took out her phone.

Immediately, voices wheezed from the receiver. “Come join the fun.” The blobs gurgled and pressed closer, surrounding Frisk on all sides, various mouths gaping like fish.

Frisk turned to Chara. _“Memoryheads. That’s all I know.”_

“Become one of us!” “It’s a real get together.” “Lorem ipsum docet.” The memoryheads warbled and then lunged. Frisk stumbled out of the way of their quick attacks, often diffusing and then appearing through small puddles of themselves until finally they stopped and waited, watching her.

“N-no. I do not want to join you.”

“That’s a shame…” The memoryheads stared at her and pulled themselves up into the sinks, vanishing into the pipes.

Frisk put a hand to her chest and slipped down. “That was… an encounter. What even were they? Were they monsters?”

Chara shrugged. _“I’ve never met monsters like them. Be careful. They’re… unusual. There’s a red key in the sink.”_

“Huh?” Frisk turned back to the sink. Indeed, a red key glinted from within. She took it and put it on her keychain. “Hopefully this is useful in the future.”

There was a room before them. A large device with two cables in the top and two in the bottom melted into the wall was in the room. A red keyhole glimmered in dull light. A note lay on the ground. _“‘drain… dropped it…’ That’s all that I could make out.’”_

Frisk stuck the red key into the keyhole. _Click!_ The key fit perfectly. The unlocked circle of color glowed in a fresh fervor. Frisk turned and strode out of the room and then into the hallway. The door with the four circles of color had changed. The red circle now glowed. The door near it with the red lock glowed as well. It opened upon being approached. This led them to another hallway with signs.

_“‘Entry Number 12: nothing’s happening. i don’t know what to do. i’ll just keep injecting everything with ‘determination.’ i want this to work.’ … ‘Entry Number 13: one of the bodies opened its eyes.’”_

“You mean… they woke up?” Frisk prompted. “But they were dying…” When she turned to Chara, the ghost just shrugged again. Frisk turned and moved forward. This time, they entered a large room filled with beds. Frisk, even more wary now that they were in a place monsters were definitely used to gathering, walked on her toes.

Chara absently inspected the beds. All but one bed was the same, well-made, clean bed. The blanket was ruffled, and something was under it. _“I think there’s something under the blanket.”_

Frisk perked up and pulled the blanket back. A golden key glinted in the dim light. With Chara’s help, she hooked the key to her keychain. Another golden sparkle lay ahead of her.

_“Finding keys to complete your mission fills you with determination.”_

Frisk approached the door nearby. Green letters glowed from the wall.

_“‘Entry Number 14: Everyone that had fallen down… has woken up. They’re all walking around and talking as if nothing is wrong. I thought they were goners…?’”_

Frisk walked out of the door and into the hall. They were almost immediately presented with another sign. This time, it was a bit to the left, so they had to go down the hallway a little to reach it.

_“‘Entry Number 15: Seems like this research was a dead end… but at least we got a happy ending out of it…? I sent the SOULs back to King ASGORE and returned the vessel to his garden… and I called all of the families and told them everyone’s alive. I’ll send everyone back tomorrow. :)’”_

“There’s an actual ‘smiley face’ there?” Frisk prompted. Chara nodded. “Weird. Well, at least there’s a happy ending. What does the next one say?”

Chara moved over to the one farther down the hall. _“‘Entry Number 16: no No NO NO NO NO NO’”_

Frisk’s faint smile fell. “Oh no. Is something… wrong? We need to find the next entry.”

Chara nodded. _“We do.”_

A bit farther down the hall was a door. At the end was a show curtain. A shadow waved slowly back and forth. Since Frisk didn’t see this, she continued to walk down the hallway. She pulled back the curtains to find a green key glinted in the empty tub. Frisk took the key and fixed it to her keychain. They left the small room and into the hallway.

Frisk stopped. The medium-sized room they entered had a gaping hole so large there was hardly any room to move around. A giant skull took up the entirety of the gaping hole. It was similar to a Gaster Blaster without a bottom jaw hooked up to all types of machines. A golden shimmer blocked the path down. So, Frisk walked up and into another room. This one was occupied by a TV, shelves of tapes, and a key-machine. This time, the key-hole was yellow–just like the one in the bed. Frisk inserted the yellow key into it. _Click!_

“What’s that?” Frisk prompted and turned to the TV.

 _“It’s a VHS player. There are a few tapes already picked out beside it,”_ Chara informed them. _“They’re labeled in a specific order. Do you want to watch them?”_

Frisk nodded. “Okay. I can’t see them, but I can listen. Maybe they’ll tell us more about what happened to those poor monsters who nearly died. Which is the first one? Right… here? Good!” She tapped the VHS player and slid the cartridge into the machine.

The TV turned on. There was no visual. It was much too dark in the video. _“Psssst. Gorey, wake up.”_ Toriel’s sweet, hushed voice came out of the TV. Frisk’s eyes grew round. Chara glanced at Frisk and then the video.

 _“Mm? What is it dear?”_ King Asgore’s slow, heavy voice prompted. _“…err, and why do you have that video camera?”_

_“Shush! I want to get your reaction. Gorey, dearest. What is my favorite vegetable?”_

Chara answered, “Carrots.”

 _“Hmmm… carrots, right?”_ King Asgore prompted.

Toriel giggled. _“No, no, no! My FAVORITE vegetable is… eda-MOM-e. …get it?”_

There was a short pause. _“Go back to bed, dear.”_

_“No, no! Not yet! Hehehe. Now, if I were a dog, what breed of dog would I be?”_

_“Hmmm… I don’t know, honey. What type of dog would you be?”_

_“I would be… a MOMeranian.”_

_“Hohoho!”_ King Asgore laughed. _“You sure are excited to have this child.”_ Frisk tipped her head. King Asgore continued in a sly voice, _“You know… if you keep making jokes like this… one day, you could be… a famous MOMedian.”_

There was a short pause. _“Well, I am going to bed.”_

_“Hey! Come on, Tori! That one was funny!”_

_“Hahaha, I know. I am just teasing you. Goodnight, dear.”_

_“Goodnight, honey.”_

_“…oh dear. Perhaps it is too dark for the video to come out…”_

The tape popped out. Frisk put it carefully back. “That had nothing to do with this… But they seemed happy. I haven’t ever heard Toriel talk like that before, or King Asgore.”

 _“Perhaps they’re not happy now,”_ Chara suggested. _“After all, Toriel didn’t always live in the Ruins.”_

“Maybe. That’s really sad. I hope we find out what happened to these people! Then, maybe once all this blows over and everyone’s here, Toriel and King Asgore can meet again.”

_“Maybe.”_

Frisk put in the second tape. Birdsong met her ears.

 _“Okay, Chara, are you ready?”_ A high-pitched, boyish voice piped up.

“Chara…?” Frisk asked and tipped her head.

 _“Do your creepy face! Ahh! Hehehe! Oh. I had the lens cap on… What? You’re not going to do it again…? Come on! Quit tricking me! Haha!”_ The birdsong ended.

“Who was that?” Frisk turned to Chara. She only stared at the screen, eyes narrowed in concentration. “Chara?” She didn’t answer. Frisk put in the third tape.

 _“Howdy, Chara! Smile for the camera!”_ The happy, boyish voice was accompanied by birdsong. There was a slight pause. _“Ha! This time I got you! I left the lens cap on… on purpose! Now you’re smiling for nooo reason! Hehehe!”_ There was another pause. _“What? Oh, yeah, I remember. When we tried to make butterscotch pie for Dad, right? The recipe asked for cups of butter… but we accidently put in buttercups instead. Yeah! Those flowers got him really sick. I felt so bad. We made mom really upset. I should have laughed it off… like you did. Um, anyway, where are you going with this? Huh? Turn off the camera? Okay.”_

“Buttercups…” Frisk mumbled. “Where did I hear that before? Chara? Do you remember?”

_“Why don’t you just put the next one in. Number four, right?”_

“Okay.” Frisk switched out the VHS tapes.

The birdsong was a bit fainter. _“You know, things have been really quiet lately. People are pretty down. I hope they find a way to break the barrier.”_ There was a pause. _“I know! Chara, I know. But that’s not true! We shouldn’t have been there in the first place. I told you eavesdropping was wrong! Now you think that Dad’s going to suddenly declare war on the humans or something and eat our souls.”_ There was a moment’s hesitation. The voice grew sharp. _“You don’t know that! Mom and Dad really care for us! Both of us!”_ His voice softened. _“Anyway, that dumb scientist doesn’t know what he’s talking about. …hey! I know what’ll cheer you up! Let’s go ask Mr. Gerson for that story he promised!”_

The tape ended. Frisk soundlessly took that tape out and put in the last one.

Toriel’s soft, concerned voice was the first thing they heard. _“Chara… Can you hear me? We want you to wake up…”_

King Asgore’s stern, if soft, voice continued, _“You have to stay determined. Chara! You can’t give up… you are the future of humans and monsters…”_

The boy piped up, _““Psst… Chara… Please… wake up… please. I can’t do this without you. You’re my best friend. Talk to me! Why can’t you just… What happened? Why are you–no! Something’s wrong and I’m going to figure it out! I’ll make it better! I… I… I know. You’re right. S-six, right? Yeah, that’s all we need. Six.”_

The tape ended.

“That’s what I keep hearing…” Frisk muttered. “That’s who’s talking to me every time I die. ‘You can’t give up just yet… Chara! Stay determined…’ or something like that. Then I wake up. What is it?” She turned to Chara. The ghost was looking at her own lap. “Chara?”

 _“It is the past and unimportant for this mission. You need not speak of it further,”_ Chara stated in a flat voice.

“But, Chara! I need to–”

 _“Need to what?”_ Chara asked in a dry voice and narrowed her scarlet eyes. Frisk shut her mouth. _“You’re too curious, Frisk. Get up. It’s time to focus on the mission at hand.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "It's time you all knew the truth."
> 
> Dr. Alphys and Captian Undyne are already a thing. Captain Undyne was most likely scared of getting with Dr. Alphys due to her own fate ("Alphys... this is why I never told you...") but after being defeated by the human and living, she gives it a shot! Dr. Alphys believes that she's not good enough for Undyne. But after being confronted and had the message of "I LOVE YOU" shaken into her by Undyne, Papyrus, and Frisk, she gained more confidence... but she also gained the resolve to quit lying. Unfortunately, that never happened here!
> 
> Also, the decision of whether or not I should subject Frisk to a "Bad Memory" weighed on me for a little bit. It was a legit option for, like, two solid minutes.


	32. Forsaken

Frisk got to her feet and walked out of the small room. Chara’s look of irritation vanished instantly. Frisk got to the yellow sparkle at the bottom of the room. However, upon approaching it, it changed. It turned white and expanded into a humanoid shape.

Frisk’s soul appeared before her. The smell of sweet lemons permeated the vicinity. The creature before them looked a bit like Shyren. It had her rock. However, a thick muscled arm was folded behind its back. Three large, black bubbles formed on its melting chest. Its black, smooth head often morphed. Bubbles formed sharp, long teeth that shook. Sometimes, its head morphed so that it spiked upward and showed large, sharp eyes.

It looked like Shyren… Frisk hummed a familiar, sad tune they sang with Shyren. Lemon Bread’s teeth shook. “Welcome to my special hell.” A collection of many voices spoke all around them at the exact same time. High voices, low voices, loud and soft–there was no telling them apart. The creature’s mouth opened wide and it lunged. Frisk was hardly able to dodge. The only reason she could was due to the fact that one if its teeth was missing. Each time the creature bit at her, a good three times in total, the place of the missing tooth changed.

Bubbles that formed on them looked like Moldbygg… Frisk held up her hands and took a step back. Lemon Bread’s teeth shake. “But nobody came.” This time, candy-corn shaped teeth floated around Frisk. Orbs of red and orange shot at her. Yet they were together, so the attacks may as well have been white. That would have made it easier for them to dodge. Finally, the creature stopped attacking.

It had Aaron’s arm… Frisk flexed one of her arms. Lemon Bread’s eyes narrowed as it hesitated its attack. “I’ve felt this before…” Lemon bread snapped at her again. Again, they dodged. Yet it didn’t seem that Lemon Bread’s heart was in it. The creature melted away.

“That was odd… poor thing…” Frisk muttered. She nearly left when a sign glowed beside the skull-tube machine.

_“‘DT EXTRACTION MACHINE. STATUS: INACTIVE.’”_

“DT… is that determination?” Frisk prompted. “That sounds like it would be. If so, then… this is an odd way of getting it.” The room at the end in which they attempted to enter was full of fog. So, they turned and walked back to the yellow glimmer in the bedroom. Chara didn’t comment. Frisk stepped back into the hallway and went to the right. The door there yielded a foggy room. However, the fog was not impenetrable. There was a giant wall of fans there. A screen glowed near the fans.

Chara looked it over. _“‘Entry Number 11: now that mettaton’s made it big, he never talks to me anymore. …except to ask when i’m going to finish his body. but i’m afraid if i finish his body, he won’t need me anymore… then we’ll never be friends ever again.’”_

“If this is from Dr. Alphys, then… were they friends? They didn’t act like it when they were being snarky.”

 _“Everyone’s snarky here,”_ Chara pointed out.

“That’s true.”

At the end of the room, the fans stopped. There was a switch. Once it was pressed, the fog was blown away. White particles that floated through the air merged together. More and more particles joined into the growing ball until finally it dropped. When it hit the ground, it turned into a giant, six-legged dog. Its face was missing and, like all the others, seemed to be melting and shifting constantly. Black shapes under it seemed to be made of dogs.

As the dog neared, it let out a low, booming growl from the base of its… throat? It reared and barked, throwing hard, sharp projectiles at Frisk as it did so.

Frisk stopped and held out her hand once the attack ended. “Whoa! It’s okay, doggy! I won’t hurt you or anything.”

The amorphous dog snarled and charged at Frisk, letting out a loud storm of howls and slobber from an orifice. Frisk jumped back and then slipped on a puddle of slime left behind by the amorphous dog. The slime sucked back into the dripping, shifting monster’s body. Frisk scrambled to her feet in time to keep from getting torn apart by a whole section of long, snapping, slavering jaws.

“Uh-uh! Stay!” Frisk commanded, holding out a hand. The dog roared and charged her again. “Chara! Wh-what do I do?!”

 _“I don’t know!”_ The dog phased through Chara. _“I’ve never met this thing before! Any of these things!”_

Frisk backed into a wall. A loud growl caused its neck to shutter as it stalked forward. Frisk tentatively reached her hand forward. The dog hesitated in its stalking. Relaxing a little, Frisk set her hand on the dog’s sticky, formless head. “G-good dog!”

The dog roared and snapped its head up. Frisk yelped and scrambled back to keep from getting eaten. The amorphous dog shook his head, flecking goop everywhere that eventually rejoined it.

“Okay, so you don’t like being petted,” Frisk stated slowly. “Uh… that’s how I dealt with the Snowdin dogs, though. Actually, I let the Dogi sniff me and they thought I was a lost puppy. B-but you don’t care about that, do you?”

The amorphous dog let out another snarl as it backed Frisk further into a corner. Frisk drew her weapon. “Uh-uh? Maybe, fetch?” She threw the dagger. The amorphous dog watched it skitter over the hallway. It turned back to Frisk and made a weird noise that resembled a mocking laugh. It fell back onto its many back legs in preparation to spring at _Frisk_ instead.

“B-but! You remember the Snowdin dogs, right? Doggo, Lesser Dog, Greater Dog, Dogamy, Dogeressa?” Frisk’s voice shook as she desperately drew any knowledge that might aid her.

The dog ceased its snarling. Instead, it cocked its head. It’s long, dripping tail moved back and forth very slowly.

“Yeah! Them! I remember meeting them. They’re good guard dogs!” Frisk encouraged. The amorphous dog lowered its head and made a distrustful growling noise. “Um… I can prove it! I did meet them, and I did befriend them. Um…” The memory of their interaction popped into her head. “Oh! Right! I met them. And we played!” She dug through her bag and pulled out a chewed stick.

Immediately, the amorphous dog perked up.

Frisk grinned. “Yeah! When I traveled through Snowdin, I met them all. Doggo could only see moving things. Lesser Dog and Greater Dog really liked playing fetch. Dogamy and Dogeressa accidentally mixed me up with a puppy.” She waved the stick.

The amorphous dog’s tail wagged. Frisk chucked the stick as hard as she could. The dog spun around and tore after it. It caught the toy in mid-air and raced back to Frisk. She giggled and threw the toy a few more times. The amorphous dog raced up the walls to catch it and then bring it back. In fact, he brought Frisk’s dagger back as well. Eventually, it dropped the stick and sat down.

Frisk patted its head. Suddenly, it pushed itself forward, nuzzling Frisk and covering her in sticky goop. She didn’t mind. Instead, she petted it and cooed happily. As it sat back and shook itself and drew the goop back into its shifting body, Frisk held out a bag of treats. “Are you hungry?” The dog hopped up and then lowered its fronts paws so that its butt was in the air and tail wagged furiously. Frisk threw the entire bag at it.

Endogeny, contented, ripped the bag open and hungrily sucked up the contents.

Frisk put her dagger away and, with a serene wave, walked away from the dog. She left the stick there as well. “That poor dog.”

 _“Yes.”_ Chara looked over her shoulder at Endogeny as they walked. The dog whined and pawed at the empty container. _“Endogeny is extremely hungry. They look as if they haven’t played with a toy in ages. Perhaps we can find a way to reunite them with their families once this is over. And get a nice meal in them. Anyway, the fogged room should be clear by now.”_

Frisk walked carefully down the halls and around the DT extraction machine. The room that was once very foggy was clear. A line of refrigerators lined up in the room. On the wall behind them, boards began to flash.

Chara read aloud each one in turn _, “‘Entry Number 19: the families keep asking me when everyone is coming home. what am i supposed to say? i don’t even answer the phone anymore.’ … ‘Entry Number 20: ASGORE left me five messages today. four about everyone being angry, one about this cute teacup he found that looked like me. thanks asgore.’ … ‘Entry Number 21: i spend all my time at the garbage dump now. it’s my element.’ That’s it.”_

Frisk walked carefully past the refrigerators. She hesitated before opening each one, peering inside to make sure the key wasn’t in the fridge. All she found were petri dishes. One such fridge shuttered and jerked. Frisk tipped her head and took a step back. “Uh…”

“Something’s probably trapped inside,” Chara mused. “Cold, dark, with bars beneath you and above you… that probably sucks.”

Frisk gave her a sideways glance. “You, uh… have you ever…?”

“Yeah,” Chara answered plainly. “One time I got stuck in the fridge. My brother wouldn’t stop laughing.” She rolled her eyes. “Mom had to finally pull me out. Oh well; I got a chocolate bar in the end and Mom gave him a time out. He teased me about it for a very long time, though.” She shook her head, a sudden depression falling over her.

“What’s wrong?”

“I don’t feel happy about that memory anymore,” Chara muttered. “I don’t feel anything about it.” She sighed. “Come on, let’s go. We need to finish this and get out of here.”

Frisk hesitated and then nodded. “Okay. …you know, I once fell head-first into the washing machine.”

“How’d you do that?”

“I dropped my toy chicken in there and tried fishing it out. Cammie ended up pulling me out before she could turn on the washer. Heh. She didn’t tease me about it, but I wasn’t allowed in the laundry room anymore.”

There was a door at the end of the room. Frisk attempted to open the moving fridge. It was empty. Frisk opened the last one. It, too, was empty. Frisk turned and nearly walked away. However, she found that she couldn’t. Her soul beat before her chest. She whipped around. Standing before her was a creature like a snow drake. She moved her dripping wings and opened her beak. Two vegetoid faces on either side of her face opened and closed their mouths, too. She didn’t make a sound. A depression fell over Frisk so tangible that it made the room cold. The amalgamate was so _sad._

 _“Amaglamate. ATK -12, DEF -5, HP -48. ‘Seems like it’s losing itself.’”_ Chara smiled, though it was nowhere near a happy expression.

 _“Sn… o… wy…”_ the amalgamate whispered hoarsely. The heartbreak in her voice was…

 _“She misses her family so much,”_ Chara laughed. _“She hasn’t seen them in years. They don’t know she’s alive.”_

Frisk tipped her head to Chara. “What should I do?”

 _“What can you do to someone who should be dead and gone? To someone who misses her family desperately? Someone who has no way to reunite with their family or move on to the next?”_ Chara asked, tears glimmering on her cheeks, her voice still hitched by laughter.

Frisk shifted her feet. Well, the best cure for sadness is laughter! After all, Snowy loved puns. Hopefully it was genetic or something. “Um… why couldn’t the two monsters cross the ravine? There was _snow_ way they could!” Frisk offered with a small chuckle.

Her expression started to shift. “Haha… I… remem… ber…” The ice somewhere in the corner manifested into a useless attack. It didn’t even drift toward her. The poor attack melted away.

“So, I guess you think my puns are _ice?_ ” Frisk tried.

Her expression changed more. Chara could see her beak beginning to turn up into a smile. “Haha… thank… you…” Snowflakes drifted around Frisk for a few moments before melting.

“Hehe. I’m _snow_ glad I could help.”

She was completely calm, now. Crystal fluttered and vanished. In her wake was a small blue key.

Chara nonchalantly rubbed her arm against her face. Her tone evened out mostly, _“She was hungry, too. But her depression seems to have quelled it.”_

Frisk picked it up and traveled into the last room. It was simply a small room with a key-machine in it. This one was green. _Click._ It didn’t take them that long to return to the bedroom. When they did, they found another hallway. This one led into a long room. One side of the room was covered almost completely by mirrors. The pattern was broken in places to allow room for the message boards. The other side had a very long table full of potted yellow flowers.

Chara walked to her other side and piped up, _“‘Entry Number 7: We’ll need a vessel to house the monster SOULs when the time comes. After all, a monster cannot absorb the SOULs of other monsters. Just as a human cannot absorb a human SOUL… So then… what about something that’s neither human nor monster?’ … ‘Entry Number 10: experiments on the vessels are a failure. it doesn’t seem to be any different than the control cases. whatever. they’re a hassle to work with anyway. the seeds just stick to you and won’t let go’”_

The children stopped. Frisk whispered, “Golden flowers?”

 _“Injected with determination?”_ Chara agreed.

“With neither human or monster soul…”

They looked at each other. Chara stated simply, _“We must hurry. If Flowey changes his mind and tries to find us, he might be in much more danger than us.”_

A door was at the end of the hallway. A long wall of mirrors was between it and the screen. The table full of flowers ended there. Frisk continued through the hall. She gasped in shock as her soul pattered and appeared before her. Melting in from above came a giant, bird-like creature. Its body and wings were small with long legs. But its neck was extremely long and held a large head. Occasionally, it’s beak would switch sides of its head. When it blinked, it had teeth rather than eye lashes.

Its wings… those wings were shaped like Whimsalot. Frisk knelt before it and held her hands together. “Please, don’t hurt us!”

The bird relaxed a bit. Then, it dipped its head and flared its wings. It opened its beak to speak. A flurry of different garbled voices saying a plethora of different, garbled words spoke to her. Another form, rounded with a large belly and round, black eyes, appeared beside it. Yet it didn’t attack. A swarm of moths attacked its head. Soundlessly, the large creature fell to its knees and attempted to wave away the moths. It failed miserably. Eventually, it disappeared.

Its head was spikey, like Final Froggit’s. Frisk held her hands together to form rings. One ring was inside the other. She moved her hands behind her head and then showed it. Her hands–fingers still in rings–were separate. The bird cocked its head in surprise and wonder. It tried to speak again, but it turned out as many garbled voices saying many garbled things. The moth-headed creature appeared. It took a few steps toward Frisk. Moths flew away from the creature to attack Frisk. A few cracks formed in her soul.

Its eye had teeth, and its eyelashes were like eyes as well… Frisk puffed up her chest. “Why are you picking on us, pigeon?”

Reaper Bird straightened up and stared at her. A look of recognition returned to its gaze. “Someone finally gets it.” “Ribbit, Ribbit.” “Courage…” Reaper Bird’s voices were clearly distinct, now. They gave her one last look over before melting away.

 _“I’m beginning to think none of them have eaten…”_ Chara commented.

Frisk walked away. The small room held only a key-machine. This one was blue. _Click!_ The blue key fit perfectly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *It's so cold.
> 
> Fun fact: this chapter was split into two parts! That's why the chapter count went up by one. I took the first two pages from Chapter 33, tagged them onto Chapter 32 and then split Chapter 32 in half. Hey! Like the amalgams!
> 
> Also, the colors for the amalgams go to [Lynx](http://lynxgriffin.tumblr.com/)'s "[True Lab Origins](http://lynxgriffin.tumblr.com/post/133302129508/i-really-couldnt-help-wondering-how-things-went)" comic. Aw, Jeez I'm a huge fan, sorry not sorry. Haha The colors for the amalgams aren't given/are blank and since I'm awful with [original/fitting color design](http://fav.me/dctp0n6) I had to look somewhere.


	33. Power

Frisk retraced her steps. At the very beginning, the door with the four colored circles now glowed. Frisk tried opening the door, but it wouldn’t budge. She cocked her head. “Why isn’t this working? It should have power, right…?” Her eyes fell on an electronic pad next to the elevator. When she set her hand on it, one light blinked green while two lights above blinked red. “Crap. Maybe the other elevator works?”

She turned to leave. Six amalgamates blocked their path–the memory heads, Lemon Bread, Reaper Bird, and a straggly one they hadn’t met before. All six of the amalgamates crept toward her, shifting eyes staring straight at Frisk. She gasped and backed up. Unfortunately, since her back touched the door, she was cornered. Reaper Bird let out a shriek and swooped. Frisk stumbled back, only to run straight into Lemon Bread’s jaws. Frisk tore her hand out the amalgamate’s jaws and was face to face with the shuttering memory heads. The straggly one–a simple monster resembling a tall slime–grabbed her from behind.

Frisk screamed and tried to worm her way out of the amalgamate’s grasp. She tore her arm away from Lemon Bread and ducked Reaper Bird’s sharp beak. “Chara!”

_“I don’t know what to do!”_

Suddenly, the door shuddered behind them as the elevator moved up. The six amalgamates backed off, bristling and staring at the door. _Ding!_ The amalgamates scattered, growling and huffing.

Chara looked around. _“Frisk! Run!”_

“Wh-what?”

_“RUN!”_

Frisk darted away from the elevator, nearly running into the doorway to the bedroom as she did so. _“What’s happening?”_ she asked in thought. The power turned back on.

_“I don’t know, but something bad. Those monsters were terrified!”_

Frisk sucked in her breath upon hearing footsteps in the other room. The slime amalgamate took one look at Frisk before vanishing into a drain. Frisk dove under one of the beds and squirmed back. She put a hand over her mouth to keep her hyperventilating quiet.

A pair of yellow feet mostly hidden beneath a lab coat walked past. Frisk blinked. She recognized those claws and that shuffle. “Alphys?” she whispered.

The footsteps stopped. “…Frisk? Is that you?”

Frisk tensed and shut her eyes. Yep. That was Dr. Alphys.

The scientist bent down and looked under the bed. Her eyes, hidden beneath her glinting glasses, bore straight into Frisk’s. “Frisk.” Frisk’s body made an involuntary shudder at the noise. “What are you doing here?”

“I-I came here to find you!” Frisk squeaked. “B-but then I got scared. A-and there were these other monsters I didn’t recognize. A-and the power went out. S-so I tried to turn the power back on. B-but then the door stopped me, and th-these monsters appeared out of nowhere! A-and I got scared and hid.”

“Come out here.” Dr. Alphys stood up straight and shuffled back.

Frisk hesitated. “I… I…”

“Come on. Out. I can’t talk to you under that bed.” Dr. Alphys’ voice changed a little. It was… softer? No, definitely not _soft_ but it was less sharp.

Frisk gulped and then shook her head and retreated further. “N-no! No, I’ll stay here! I’ll stay here!”

Dr. Alphys sighed. “You’ve only been here a few minutes and those creatures have already rubbed off on you. Well, you’re physical, so this should be easier. Come on. Out. One last chance.” Frisk’s blood turned cold. She shut her eyes and covered her face in her hands. She heard Dr. Alphys sigh and walk away. Eventually, the scientist returned and stuck some sort of claw-tipped rod under the bed. Frisk squealed as it gripped her wrist and started tugging her out. Frisk scrambled on the tile floor to back up or shake it loose or in any way stay under the bed, but the tile floor made poor ground to latch onto. By the time she thought of anchoring herself by grabbing onto the foot of the bed, it was already out of reach and she was out from under the bed, for the most part.

When Dr. Alphys let go, Frisk immediately tried to go back. But the scientist grabbed her by the back of her neck and, using surprising strength, yanked her out and dragged her out of the bed room. Unlike the time in which Captain Undyne caught her by the nape of her sweater, Dr. Alphys’ claws dug into Frisk’s neck rather than her shirt collar, so there was no getting out _that_ way.

“LET ME GO!” Frisk screamed and writhed and hit Dr. Alphys’ wrist and arm.

The scientist ignored her.

“Let me go! Please!” Frisk kicked at the tile and tried to hook the heel of her shoes into the grout, but the tiles were flush and smooth like fake wooden flooring.

“…”

Frisk’s heart was beating out of her chest. She couldn’t breathe. God, she couldn’t breathe! “CAMMIE!” she shrieked.

As they reached the entryway to the hallway that would lead to the creepy machine, Chara took over. Her eyes flashed a brilliant scarlet. Chara turned over, unsheathed her red knife, and tried to cut the scientist. Dr. Alphys let go and took a step back for sheer surprise alone. Chara scrambled to her feet, knife pointing at Dr. Alphys and breath coming in gasps. “Don’t move an inch closer,” she hissed.

Dr. Alphys stared at her. “Your eyes are red.”

“Yeah,” Chara agreed. “And I’ll fucking kill you if you touch her again. Frisk might not fight you, but I _will._ ”

“You speak in third person.”

“Yeah. Frisk’s my friend.”

“So, you’re possessing them? _Fascinating._ ” Dr. Alphys’ eyes went round. “Your eyes are red. Your soul is red, too.” She hesitated. “You must have quite a bit of determination, then.”

“We do,” Chara agreed, bristling further, were that possible. “Now, we were trying to get monsters to help us convince the king not to fight us. If you’re not going help us, then we’ll leave.”

“Leave?” Dr. Alphys prompted. “Spirit or demon or whatever you are, you and Frisk both know too much.” With that, she took what looked like a long, thin dagger from her pocket and stepped forward. Chara immediately retaliated, slicing her dagger through Dr. Alphys’ upper arm. But that just meant she was closer, and the dagger went through Chara’s side. Chara reflexively jerked back. Dr. Alphys removed the weapon and took Chara by the throat, smashing some plastic mask-like thing over her face. Chara dropped her weapon. Dr. Alphys slammed her against the floor. Although she struggled, whatever she was breathing in made it very, very hard.

Before Chara’s eyes could close and her body stop moving entirely, Dr. Alphys removed the mask and clasped something like a collar around her neck. The scientist stood up, huffing. “You are much stronger than many of my other patients.” She cleared her throat and took Chara by the collar. “But not by too much.” With that, she continued walking down the hall.

 _“Chara!”_ Frisk whined. _“Let me talk to her!”_

_“I… I can’t.”_

_“You can’t?!”_

_“I can’t!”_ Chara grimaced and jerked. Her eyes went wide. _“I-I can’t. I can’t. I can’t let go. I can’t let go!”_ She laughed. “I can’t let go. We’re doomed. Haha! By this dinosaur! Hahaha! This is going to be worse than getting shot by rifles, isn’t it? Hahaha.”

Dr. Alphys dropped them on the floor in front of the weird goat-skull machine connected to a mess of wires. She walked around to a panel near it and pressed buttons. Lights flickered on around the machine. It let out a long, steady _hiss_ as the top drew itself up and the “eyes” glowed. From the fan room, they could see the dog crouching, shivering, moving its many paws as if it was trying to move itself, but something blocked the way.

Dr. Alphys walked back to Chara. “I do not know what you are going off about. But this should draw a reaction from your SOUL and extract determination from it. This has only been used on souls of dead humans, of course. The monsters I used hardly lasted long at all and weren’t worth it.” She frowned. “Shame. But you have a stronger SOUL than that.”

The scientist took a harness from the room full of refrigerators. Just as she approached, she skittered back with a yell of surprise. Endogeny stood above Chara, tail whipping and roaring snarl heard throughout the True Lab.

“E-Endogeny!” Dr. Alphys snapped, drawing herself up and putting down the fear blatant on her reptilian features. “Back down.”

Endogeny crouched, ready to spring.

Dr. Alphys dropped the harness and stepped forward. “Back. Down. _Now._ ”

A whine hitched Endogeny’s growl. Still, they stood their ground.

A mad flapping of wings followed by a shriek announced Reaper Bird darting out of the flower room and into the hallway, wings flaring and beak snapping. “Ymbbia,refbed .of e?u.”

Dr. Alphys’ gaze darted between them. Chara sucked in her breath and brought her hands up to detach the device.

The royal scientist stamped her foot and brought out what looked like a shotgun with a glowing muzzle and streaks of light. Endogeny and Reaper Bird took a step back and seemed to visibly deflate upon seeing it. “Step away from my test subject. _Now._ ”

Reaper Bird glanced at Endogeny and Chara and then Dr. Alphys. “Ykit’vj i mime.nough.”

“ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ” “ ** _BUT NOBODY CAME._** ”

Dr. Alphys jumped and spun around. Lemon Bread appeared behind her, spiked head tipped down and slit-shaped eyes glaring down at her. Her teeth shuddered and bared in a hiss. The slime amalgamate slipped out of the hallway. Memory heads glitched and morphed into view on the ceiling. Dr. Alphys stumbled back, her head swiveling left and right as if to see all of them at once, her gun shaking terribly in her grasp.

“hu… man…?” Mrs. Drake peered around the corner from the refrigerator room.

Chara’s fingers hooked under a latch or button on the side of the collar. _Click._ She threw the thing off and got to her knees. Her eyes faded to brown and Chara staggered back, away from Frisk as she recovered. Frisk turned her head up. The undulating mass of sticky monsters left Frisk and instead backed Dr. Alphys into a corner. The scientist sputtered something, but nothing of true relevance came out.

Reaper Bird flared their wings. “Tvk dyeur hu t deo. c.e.”

“G-get back!” Dr. Alphys snapped, the tip of her shotgun weapon glowing a sharp blue.

“ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” “ ** _THAT’S WHAT THEY ALL SAY._** ” Lemon Bread snapped, her jagged teeth crunching down on the muzzle and snapping the gun in half. Dr. Alphys dropped it, yelping as electric sparks arched from the broken machinery to her hands.

Frisk’s eyes went wide. “Th-they’re going to kill her.”

“ _She deserves it,_ ” Chara growled, rubbing her neck as if she could still feel the cold metal contraption against her neck.

“N-no. No. No, no one deserves that!” Frisk clambered to her feet. “H-hey! Guys!”

The collective hissing and growling stopped, and all eyes turned on Frisk.

“Back off. Killing her won’t do any good.”

Endogeny cocked their head. Reaper Bird croaked, “Sod,sno eshy pyoce.uck.”

Dr. Alphys stared at Frisk with wide, unblinking eyes. She started to speak, but no words came out.

Frisk went on, “Come on. I know that she messed up. She hurt you. She… she almost hurt me. But just because she hurt you doesn’t mean you have to hurt her back. I-I mean, you know what they say: an eye for an eye makes the whole world blind! And, I can tell you that, uh, being blind is no joke. Heheh. So, back away. We can settle this peacefully. I promise.”

Endogeny stepped back and then walked around so that they sat down next to Frisk, tail waving.

Lemon Bread spat out the metal and magic that dripped from their fangs. “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ” “ ** _SHE HURT US!_** ”

“I know she did,” Frisk agreed. “Some horrible things happened to you. It’s terrible and I will not ask for you to forgive her. I won’t ask any of you to do that. But I do ask that you show her what she didn’t show you: _mercy._ If you can’t show her mercy, you won’t find peace. You’ll rage and you’ll regret forever. Let her go. Then we can go back to your lives. Your true lives.”

“ ** _WHERE IS MY SISTER?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY BROTHER?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY COUSIN?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY FRIEND?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY FATHER?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY MOTHER?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY SISTER?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY BROTHER?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY COUSIN?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY FRIEND?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY FATHER?_** ” “ ** _WHERE IS MY MOTHER?_** ”

Endogeny perked up and barked, their tail wagging fiercely.

“sn… o… wy…?” Mrs. Drake limped further into the room, her wings held close to herself.

“Have courage.” “Robbit! Robbit!” “That’s right, human!”

Frisk turned to Dr. Alphys, then. “If it’s okay with you, Dr. Alphys, I think this place has been crowded long enough.”

The scientist stared at Frisk and then looked down at the broken weapon at her feet. She took a deep breath and then raised her head. Her glasses gleamed in the light. “It’s time for us to go home.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *...
> 
> Okay, so, in DeltaRune, you come across the cemetery. "Crystal" is a name on the gravestone that was hinted to belong to Snowy's mother. NOW YOU MAY BE THINKING: "But that's DeltaRune! Not Undertale!" WELL. DeltaRune is an _Alternate Universe_ so it has the characters and names, but the setting is different. Since that amalgamate has no formal name, I'm giving her Crystal's name. I really don't like the name Crystal, though. :P
> 
> Also, big surprise, but part of this chapter was also inspired by something. "[Underfell - Frisk in Alphys's true lab](https://youtu.be/EI2ha274t1E)" was the inspiration for the attack/abandonment.
> 
> The red knife is an original idea of mine, however. Frisk panics and allows her much stronger, feistier, and vastly more knowledgeable and cool-headed friend and guide to take over. Said guide, though not a murderous psychopath, knows how to wield a knife. Since that knife originally belonged to her, it would respond best to her. Hence the "turning red" and causing significantly more damage. It's why it knocked Asgore down 999999999 HP in one hit and why the amalgamates are scared of it. If you cheat the Real Knife into the game, monsters will show fright at its presence.
> 
> Also, if you want to see the chapter that was originally canon until frickin' last week, you can find it here: ["Chapter 33: Power"](https://sta.sh/02fw7ysd1ytk)
> 
>  **REAPER BIRD:**  
>  “Ymbbia,refbed .of e?u.” (I’m not afraid of you. Robbit, robbit. You dare defy me?)  
> “Cow gresyk.u.” (No regrets. Creak, creak. How dare you.)  
> “Ykit’vj i mime.nough.” (Not this time. Skip, jump. You’ve seen enough.)  
> “Tvk dyeur hu t deo. c.e.” (I’ve made my choice. Shudder, shudder. Take your last look.)  
> “Sod,sno eshy pyoce.uck.” (I’ve made my peace. Nod, nod. She’s pushed your luck.)


	34. New Day

Dr. Alphys strode forward, walking past her activated machine as well as Lemon Bread, Reaper Bird, and the slime amalgamate. She stopped in front of Frisk. “Frisk, what did you just do? Why did you stop them?”

Frisk stated, “I don’t want them to hurt you.” She smiled. “I don’t want you to be hurt, anymore.”

The scientist put a hand on mouth. “You…” She choked and shut her eyes. “You really mean that. And…” She took a step back, her thick tail curling around her feet. “And I nearly hurt you. Y-you show m-me mercy wh-when I obviously d-d-don’t deserve it, and I a-almost…” She took a steadying breath, though that didn’t help. She put both hands to her face, shoving up her glasses. Then, she crumbled, her tail curling up around her legs and her nose to her knees.

Frisk sat down and patted her shoulder, which jerked and shivered. “It’s okay, Dr. Alphys. I know you did wrong. But you can do right, if you just believe in yourself. You made a lot of mistakes, but it’s never too late to fix them.”

Dr. Alphys shoved a shaky hand into her lab coat and then brought out a piece of folded paper. “Th-these will take you directly to the castle. F-Frisk, if a-anyone can make A-Asgore do the r-right thing, if anyone can c-convince Asgore to a-abandon his plan, it’s you.”

Frisk took the paper. “But, I…”

“I-it’s in braille,” Dr. Alphys sniffled and looked up at Frisk with round, watery eyes. “Please t-talk to him. Make o-our king see the g-good that you do. _Please_.”

Frisk clutched the paper and smiled. “I will. I promise. I will free _everyone._ ” She stood up and held out her hand. “Come on, Doctor. You’ve got some people to free, too.”

Dr. Alphys looked at her hand. For the longest time, she simply stared. Then, finally, she reached out and took Frisk’s hand.

Frisk, grinning, led Dr. Alphys out of the hallway. Once they got a few feet away, Dr. Alphys gently slipped her hand from Frisk’s and rubbed her eyes. She stopped and looked back. “Let’s go home.” The amalgamates roared and squawked and stamped their paws and flapped their wings. They followed the scientist and human.

Dr. Alphys stopped in front of the elevator and patted Frisk’s back, ushering her inside. “Go, Frisk. Directly to the castle. I will make sure you’re not alone.”

Frisk grinned and gave her a determined nod. “Thank you, Dr. Alphys!” With that, she opened the paper, ran her fingers over the button number, and then chose the correct buttons on the pad. The elevator doors snapped shut. _Whiiiiir._

Eventually, the elevator stopped. When Frisk stepped outside, she found herself very close to the castle. Frisk went up to the first elevator she found. It took them directly next to the Judgement Hall. Finally, she approached the doorway that led to the barrier. A yellow glimmer shone next to it.

_“Knowing that you are about to free the underground fills you with determination.”_

Frisk strode into the barrier room.

“Oh? Back so soon…?” King Asgore prompted. “How are you feeling?”

“Well, thank you. I’m ready,” Frisk stated. Her necklace faded into a deep green.

“I… I see. This is it, then.” King Asgore took a deep breath. “Ready?” The souls appeared before her. King Asgore shut his eyes. “Human… it was nice to meet you. Goodbye.”

“W-wait!” Frisk gasped. “Please, I need to tell you something!”

King Asgore ignored her. He lowered his head and readied his weapon. Then, he looked up. A gust of crystal blue fire rammed into him. He cried out in surprise as he was thrown back. Toriel took his place. She looked down at Frisk with such affection Frisk was surprised it was turned to her.

“My child! You are safe! I am sorry. I thought that separation would help us both. But I could not stop worrying about your journey. I knew that it would be treacherous–especially for such a kind soul. I knew that you would ultimately have to make a terrible choice. In order to leave, you would need to take King Asgore’s life. However, I realized something. I cannot allow that. So, for now, let us suspend this battle.”

“Toriel.” King Asgore had gotten up and now stared at her with wide eyes. “You came back…!”

“Yes!” Toriel hummed. “This human! She came through the Ruins and–”

“–turned out to be a poor fighter,” King Asgore agreed, his voice getting dry. “Which is funny how it seems to happen to _all_ children you attempt to keep.”

Toriel’s gaze darkened. “Asgore, please! That isn’t my fault. I’m just doing what’s best for them!”

“What’s best for them?” the king snarled. “What would’ve been ‘best’ was to train them with everyone else!”

“I didn’t know they’d go to the surface! I didn’t know that he’d try to fight _humans!_ I just wanted them to be kids for a little while longer, Asgore.”

“Kids? Well, now they’re dust and bones,” King Asgore growled. “Thanks to you, the entirety of the Underground can only see the dust that they create, the souls that they break. Why? Because our children died and destroyed hope for everyone!”

“You’re blaming me for that?” Toriel’s hands lit up in blue fire. “You’re the king! It’s your job, just as it is mine, to keep our kingdom in good terms. But I couldn’t do it alone! Much less when you started going off about _strength of SOUL!_ ”

“What did you do, then? You hid behind a door completely sealed so that nothing but the tiniest of things could get through. That helped us a lot,” King Asgore growled.

Then, heavy boots cracked into the floor. Frisk ducked as Captain Undyne leaped clear over her. A spear appeared in her hands and she landed before Frisk, eyes darting back and forth. “Nggaaah! King Asgore! Human! No one fight anyone! Everyone’s going to calm down or else I’ll be forced to–?” Her gaze landed on Toriel.

Completely immune to Captain Undyne’s threatening nature, Toriel hummed, “Hello! I am Toriel. Are you the human’s friend? It’s nice to meet you!”

Captain Undyne let go of the spear. It vanished into thin air. “Uh… yeah…?” She walked over to her king. “Er, King Asgore? Is that the queen? Oh. That’s, uh, rough.”

Dr. Alphys’ thick feet pattered on the ground as she sprinted inside. She stopped so suddenly she nearly tripped over herself. “H-hey! No one hurt each other! S-so many people don’t want the child… to… die…?” Dr. Alphys looked at Toriel.

“Oh!” Toriel hummed. “Are you another friend? I’m Toriel. Hello!”

“Er, hello!” Dr. Alphys’ eyes trained on Frisk. “There’s two of them?” she breathed in exasperation before meeting her girlfriend by King Asgore.

Frisk couldn’t even answer. Black and red boots flashed over the ground beside Frisk. Papyrus came to a stop between the young human and Toriel. A red bone was gripped in his hand and another few jumped in front of Frisk. “HALT! NO ONE TAKE A STEP FURTHER, THIS FIGHT WILL NOT PROGRESS…?” He turned to look at Toriel.

Toriel waved. “Hello! I am Toriel. It’s nice to meet you.”

“ER–HELLO.” He glanced back at Frisk. “IS THAT… _THE QUEEN?_ _”_

Frisk gave him a small nod. The bones before the young human vanished. “She’s Toriel.”

“hey guys. what’s up?” Sans strolled in behind Papyrus and came around to Frisk’s other side.

Toriel gasped. “That voice…!” She looked at Sans and stood in front of him. She dwarfed him in size. “Hello. I think we may know each other?”

“hey! i recognize your voice, too.”

“I am Toriel. It’s so nice to meet you.”

“the name’s sans and, ah, same.” Sans gave her a nod of his head.

Frisk grinned. “Does that mean no one’s going to attack anyone?”

Captain Undyne scoffed, “Let them _try!”_

Dr. Alphys nodded, a foreign smile spreading across her muzzle. “Your soul belongs inside your body, human. Unharmed.”

“YES!” Papyrus crowed. “NO ONE SHALL HURT ANYONE!”

King Asgore looked over them and sighed. “Child, you remind me so much of…” He shook his head. “Frisk, I will do what is best for my kingdom. If my royal scientist and the Captain of the Royal Guard and my own subjects agree to raise their voice as one… I will not take your soul.”

Frisk grinned. “Th-that’s great! We don’t have to fight each other. We’ll find a way to–!” Frisk cut herself off with a yell. Vines whipped out of the ground and curled around her legs and crept up her body and shoulders and pulled her down. A giant, thorny branch wider than King Asgore erupted from one of the walls and slashed across Frisk’s friends. Vines erupted from that, too, and tied them all together.

Frisk looked up. The captured monsters struggled and fought with the vines. Sans, powerless, did not move. Dr. Alphys’ tail whipped back and forth, and her back claws tore at the vines. They were not even scratched. Toriel summoned fire. The vines did not wither. Captain Undyne summoned a spear. The spear shattered upon impact. Bones splintered upon hitting the vines. King Asgore’s weapon clanged to the ground, utterly broken, and evaporated.

Flowey popped out of the ground before Frisk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "Dams are considered "installations containing dangerous forces" under International humanitarian law due to the massive impact of a possible destruction on the civilian population and the environment. Dam failures are comparatively rare, but can cause immense damage and loss of life when they occur."
> 
> Dr. Alphys could only hide behind that wall for so long.
> 
> Original chapter connected to Chapter 33 here: "[Chapter 34: New Day](https://sta.sh/025u91mzc2zx)"


	35. Thorns

“F-Flowey? Flowey! What are you doing?” Frisk cried.

Flowey looked up at her. “Frisk, I’m doing what I need to do.”

“What? You don’t need to hurt anyone! Please don’t hurt them! Please! They’ve done nothing wrong! We’re trying to _help_ them!”

Although the monsters quit struggling, their hate did not cease. It was simply directed at the object of their misery.

“Frisk, don’t you remember what I said?”

“Y-yeah. That we wouldn’t hurt the king,”

Flowey shook his head. “Frisk, that’s what you told yourself. Frisk, this place? It doesn’t deserve you. If we destroyed that barrier and let these monsters free, they’ll just start another war. They can deny it all they want, but some of them would do anything for power–including killing their own children. Frisk, you’re the brightest light that’s been here in a very, very long time. I can’t let you go like this.”

“Sure, you can!” Frisk countered. “Flowey, they’re smarter than you give them credit for. I know for a fact that they know they can’t take on billions of humans. It would be better to be diplomatic. Even just being friendly would do so much for monster and human! I’m sure that if humans and monsters work together, everyone will benefit.”

Flowey stated, “Frisk, it takes seven souls to break that barrier. I’ve taken the six they’ve collected. Then, combining our powers, we can leave.”

Frisk shook her head. “No, Flowey. This isn’t right. It isn’t right to condemn a whole race of people because of what they _might_ do. Isn’t that what happened in the first place? How the barrier was first created? Because humans were scared of what monsters _might_ do. Flowey, you’re better than that!”

Flowey bent his head so that he was no longer looking her in the eyes. “Frisk, I’ve already taken the souls. There’s no going back.” He looked up at her. “Why do you keep fighting?”

“Because it’s the right thing to do.”

“You can’t be serious,” Flowey stated blankly. “You’re a kind kid, Frisk. You have a brilliant heart and a great mind. But even you know that some things just won’t change.”

Frisk sighed and bowed her head. “Yeah. I know some things won’t change. There are some people out there who just want to see the world burn. But here’s the thing, Flowey: you know as well as I do that these people have been trapped here for so long that they’ve lost their hope. I came here because you were scared to go alone. I wanted to make sure that you got here because you deserve freedom, Flowey, just like they do.”

“I thought it was so that we could leave together,” Flowey pointed out.

“I said that so that you wouldn’t freak out,” Frisk admitted. “And maybe… maybe I was a little hopeful back then. Heh. Flowey, when I first fell down here, I thought it was a dream. Then… well, I found it wasn’t a dream. So, I was confused. I was traveling with a talking flower and hiding from a fire-breathing monster that wanted to burn me to death. Maybe… maybe this was my reality.” Suddenly, Frisk laughed. “Then I got to Snowdin and I was in for a _shock!_ I’d finally done it, Flowey. Just like they said I would. I’d gone to Hell. Just like in those fairy tales where the lost little kid finds herself in the woods. When she asks a talking animal for help, it swoops down and plucks out her eyes and the whole forest rejoices in getting another young, naïve soul!”

Frisk chuckled, but that faux smile soon faded. “But Flowey, seeing everyone here… I knew I couldn’t resist helping them. Only seven human souls are needed to break that barrier. Then everyone can go free and be happy just like they were meant to be. You see how much monsters can hurt you because we’ve both been hurt. I can see that, too. I’m not stupid. But I choose to see the good. Like when Papyrus saw that I was in need of guidance, or when I helped Shyren sing and started a whole concert, or when MK defended us on the bridge, or… there are so many good memories of this place, Flowey. Sure, there are bad ones, but the human world is just as terrible. But I know that if you’re determined, you can do anything.”

Frisk bowed her head with a small smile. “Flowey, do you remember what I asked Sans in the Judgement Hall?”

“Y… yes…” Flowey answered slowly.

“Good. You’re my best friend, Flowey. I love you and I really would do anything to protect you.” She shut her eyes and bowed her head. “But I’m just… selfish. I’m sorry, Flowey. Forgive me. But I just…” She shook her head. Tears welled in her eyes. “I just want the hurt to stop. Please… help them…” Frisk, her necklace turning a brilliant red, tapped her chest as she drew her dagger. “I love you, Flowey.”

 _“FRISK!”_ The cry went up around her. Flowey’s eyes grew round in horror. Chara attempted to take the knife away. Her hand phased right through the weapon.

_“Frisk if you kill yourself now, you will not be able to go back! Drop the knife!”_

Frisk gridded her teeth and shuddered. Blood swelled on her shirt and dribbled down her front. Pain burst through her already aching chest. She ripped out the bloody knife and let it clatter to the ground before her. Deep fissures cracked through her soul. Over time, cracks continued to be formed, even when the knife was thrown away. She opened her mouth in a soft laugh. Blood painted her teeth red and dribbled down her chin. “Hehe. Is this what my happy ending feels like?” She brought a shaky hand to her chest and shut her eyes. “Familiar... isn’t it...?”

Flowey appeared before her. He threw the knife away and let go of the vines. In fact, the vines throughout the entire Underground fell. “I-I didn’t mean it! I’m sorry, Frisk! I changed my mind. I don’t like this plan anymore.”

Frisk’s foggy eyes shut, and she flopped forward.

Flowey turned Frisk over and looked over the ghastly wound in her chest. He gasped and vanished into the ground. Otherwise, he would’ve been crushed. Dr. Alphys went to work immediately. Dr. Alphys sliced out a chunk of shirt over Frisk’s chest. “Sans!” she barked. Sans was by her side in moments. “Put your hand on her chest and apply pressure.”

“how _much_ pressure?” Sans prompted but set his hands on her chest anyway.

“As much as you can. You’re weak. You shouldn’t hurt her.”

“ _what?”_

Dr. Alphys hovered her hand over Frisk’s chest and moved her soul so that it hovered just above her. Dr. Alphys put on a headset and set a device on the soul, which was connected to the headset with a cord. After a few seconds and a glance at a pressure reading device on the cord, Dr. Alphys dropped the device and took out a needle. She drew out a tiny bit of red liquid from a vial and then kept a firm grasp on Frisk’s soul.

Toriel came up behind her. “What’s that?”

“Determination,” Dr. Alphys replied. “She’s lost quite a bit. She has no will to survive. Thus, her determination is low, and she is very weak and vulnerable. Anything could destroy–or absorb–her soul. This injection should help.” Dr. Alphys moved around and stepped on Frisk’s face. This, of course, caused Toriel to gasp and attempt to grab the scientist. King Asgore held her back. “An injection of her own determination, which is the highest and most potent concentration that I’ve ever seen, would have helped immensely.” She hesitated, and the needle she held shook a little before she stabilized herself. “But no use crying over spilt milk.”

The doctor slid the needle into the dying child’s nearly shattered soul, injected the liquid, and then stepped back. Dr. Alphys put away most of her supplies and grabbed the device she’d use to measure Frisk’s soul. Dr. Alphys glanced at her watch. “We will wait thirty seconds. Then, I will test her soul again. If she is stable, I will require you to heal her. Once she is healed, she will need to be washed off, changed, and put to rest. The knife is not to go anywhere near her for now.”

“Kni… ife… Ch… ch…cha…. ra…” Frisk mumbled and twitched her fingers.

Chara slumped down beside her. She grinned a hollow smile. A laugh escaped her nonexistent throat. _“Wow, Chara. You did it again! Good job you did there. Another one bites the dust. Congratulations. Another kid died because you failed to protect them. Again!”_ She laughed again, she couldn’t stop. She stared down at her hands with wide, scarlet eyes glimmering in unseen tears. _“But it’s not funny.”_

“Do not move,” Dr. Alphys stated. “You are not in good enough condition for that.”

“knife chara?” Sans prompted. “was that a, uh, joke or somethin’?”

Dr. Alphys looked at Sans. “She does not have appropriate levels of blood and is in a great deal of pain–physically and emotionally. Whatever she is saying right now will make very little sense.”

“cah…rah…” Frisk corrected. Her eyes opened into slits. “Not… chahr… ah… cha…ra…”

“are you correctin’ me?” Sans prompted.

“Stop it!” Dr. Alphys barked. Sans shrank away from her. His hands twitched as they attempted to draw back to his chest to defend himself. Dr. Alphys lowered her voice. “You are negatively encouraging her.” She picked up the other end of the device and held it to Frisk’s soul. She nodded and lowered Frisk’s soul back into her chest. “Heal her.” Dr. Alphys ducked her head and took a step back.

Toriel knelt and hovered both hands over Frisk’s body. Sparks and glimmering lights wreathed around her fingers and sparkled over Frisk’s chest wound, it’s warmth spreading through her whole body and numbing the intense, burning pain. Her wound vanished. The queen sighed and lowered her hands to her side. The green light dissipated. She scooped up the young one’s head in one hand and set the other on Frisk’s chest. Sans stepped back. “You’re better now, my child. You’re alright. I’m here. We’re here for you.”

Frisk blinked. “Huh…?” She coughed and cleared her throat. “Why?”

“Why?” Toriel echoed.

“I thought… you needed me…” Frisk mumbled. “That s-something would–”

“Oh no! No, my child! We _do_ need you. But we need you alive, you see?” Toriel reassured her. “Please, my child. Stay with us. Stay with me. You’re alive, I promise. I promise that as long as you’re with me, that won’t change.”

Then, the room was filled. Monsters from all over the Underground came to their side. The Royal Guard Dogs raced around to Frisk’s side, wagging their tails and barking encouragement and joy. Endogeny’s goop dripped on the ground behind them. The Royal Guard bunny and dragon came to them as well. Little ones like Froggit, Whimsum, Vulkin, Moldsmal, and Pyrope bounded into the mass of monsters. MK tripped and fell flat on his face next to Muffet. Flowey had to move multiple times to avoid being trampled.

Frisk’s soul glowed in a brilliant light. She was not only physically healed, but her determination, her hope, came back with a fervor she hadn’t felt in years. She looked over the crowd with round eyes. “You’re… here?”

Dogeressa grinned. “Of course! We heard the news and we couldn’t let your soul be taken.”

Dogamy agreed, “Hell with it. You’re our Pup and we meant it.”

_Bark!_

“Yep,” Doggo nodded. “You were right all along, weren’t you, Lesser?”

_Woof!_

“Now you’re just copying, Greater.”

_Bark!_

“We get it, Lesser!”

MK stood up. “Haha! Yo, we’ve been here for forever. But even though the surface _sounds_ great, I wouldn’t let anyone kill you over it!”

Frisk didn’t respond all at once. She just stared at them in wide-eyed shock. _“Ch-Chara? What should I do? Chara? I-I don’t… I…”_ There were so many people looking out for her, at the very least liking her enough to want her to live–loved her enough to defend her. No, not people. _Monsters._ Monsters wanted her alive. _What should she feel?_

Toriel nodded. “My child, can you answer me? Please?”

“Yeah? Thank you.” Frisk shifted so that she set her cheek on Toriel’s palm. “Thank you.”

Flowey’s voice piped up behind them. “HEY!”

Toriel’s head whipped around so fast it was a surprise her neck didn’t snap. “What–?!”

Flowey raised his voice in an even higher pitch, “Frisk’s okay! She’s not dying. You’re making sure of that.” Flowey lowered his voice to an appropriate level. “But I’ll still fulfill her wish.”

Vines whipped out of the ground. Screams filled the silence. Everything went white. Then, nothing.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Frisk's more messed up than everyone originally thought. They really shouldn't have been allowed to handle a knife. Flowey just wants to help, but...  
> And, of course, Chara is unable to save them. Just like she couldn't save the other kids. Just like she couldn't save her brother.


	36. Hope and Dreams

Frisk raised her head and blinked. She was in complete black. Not even Chara could distinguish anything from the lightless, worldless black. Frisk looked down. She could now see her red shirt with a maroon stripe over the chest. She could see her dark pants and black shoes. She could see her necklaces. One charm on the right was a brilliant blue spear. The left charm was a Gaster Blaster skull. The third and center charm was a scarlet heart locket.

Then, something interrupted the black. Frisk could now clearly see the white, yellow, and red shape before them. A young boy–furry with drooping ears and a red-and-yellow shirt, stood with his back to them. Prince Asriel turned around. His scarlet eyes matched Frisk’s. Chara wasn’t even possessing Frisk and she could see the kid in complete clarity. A grand smile spread across his features. Frisk clambered to her feet. Something about that smile… it seemed off.

Prince Asriel chuckled and wiped his eyes. “Finally. I was so tired of being a flower. Chara? Are you there? It’s your best friend–” The world flashed white. Before them was no longer the goat kid wearing a yellow-and-red striped t-shirt and dark pants. Before them was what looked like a cross between Toriel and King Asgore as young adults. His horns were slicked back. Black swirls crossed his cheeks. Although he had his father’s pauldrons, his mother’s robes dressed him. A silver heart locket just like Frisk’s rested against his chest. “Asriel Dreemurr!”

_“Asriel Dreemurr–Attack ∞, Defense ∞. HP ∞. A legendary being made from the souls of the entire Underground.”_

“What? _Infinity?_ ” Frisk squawked. Chara nodded.

Prince Asriel’s feet left the “ground” so that he hovered above her. Frisk set a hand on her chest. Her clothes were no longer bloody and torn. She didn’t ache. Her soul glowed happily, unmarred by a single scratch. Prince Asriel swirled his hands. Emerald fire blazed around her. This, too, she could see. She could see the balls of green fire hurled at her. Frisk hopped and ran around to avoid the attacks. Although she tried to speak, she failed. What could she say? What words could possibly break through the pure shock and numb confusion that assaulted her brain?

_Frisk–Attack 15, Defense 15. HP 20. Determined to SAVE monsters._

Prince Asriel waved his hands. The black was eradicated. Colors swirled around them in stripes like the barrier’s pattern. Frisk looked around in wonder at the assortment of moving colors. The clashing colors made her already overstimulated mind dizzy and disoriented her.

Chara’s eyes widened. She let out a choked, shocked huff, a smile spreading across her features. _“Look at all those colors…”_

_Chara–Defense 99, Attack 99. HP ???. Determined to SAVE monsters._

Frisk gasped upon feeling Chara’s hand on her. Unlike the many times before where she just felt heat, it was as if Chara’s hand had somehow become a physical being. Chara tapped her shoulder and pointed at Prince Asriel. Where the hell were they?

Prince Asriel raised his hands and vanished. Giant stars fell from the “sky” above. Upon hitting some invisible barrier, they burst into a dozen smaller stars, all which rained down on them. Frisk gasped and bounced around to stop from being sliced open by pointed stars. Eventually, Prince Asriel appeared before her again. He swayed from side to side, leaving a trail of shining colors.

 _“Asriel charges ‘Shocker Breaker,’”_ Chara remarked.

“How are you here? Am I dead?” Frisk asked in a rush.

 _“I don’t know and no. But you will be if you stay still!”_ Chara scolded. Frisk turned around to face Prince Asriel.

“You know…” Prince Asriel started. “I honestly don’t care about saving this world anymore.” He raised his hands and vanished again. Rainbow colored lightning flashed and struck the ground. Frisk hopped from place to place. Frisk was barely able to dodge the strikes. Some of them, unfortunately, zapped through her. Fractures appeared in her soul. The attack ended.

 _“Asriel calls on ‘Chaos Saber,’”_ Chara piped up.

Frisk took a deep breath and took a step back. “What?!”

 _“That’s his attack; something we designed as kids,”_ Chara explained. _“It, uh… if I remember correctly… has something to do with swords.”_

“Okay. Swords. Um, what do I do?”

 _“Um… what to do… what to do…”_ Chara bit her lip and then smiled. _“Okay! I want you to find your cause. I want you to hold onto your hopes as tight as you can. Hopefully he still remembers the rules of our game.”_

“What?”

_“Just trust me!”_

Frisk took a deep breath. What was their greatest hope? Immediately, the thought of her family came to her. The thought of receiving a pat on the head from her mother and a hug from Cammie. The memory of her father’s jokes came to mind. The hope that her family had given her came to her mind.

 _“You hold on to your hopes,”_ Chara declared. _“Your defense increased!”_

Prince Asriel cackled and held up his hands. Two giant, decorated swords appeared. Frisk gasped and jumped from side to side to avoid being sliced in half. Eventually, Prince Asriel held up both swords and slammed them together so close that they both grazed Frisk. They dematerialized. Small, sharp stars took their place. Frisk skittered away from those.

 _“Asriel charges ‘Shocker Breaker,’”_ Chara stated. _“That’s the lightning one.”_

Frisk nodded. “I understand.” She reminded herself of the hope she had–the dream of her long dead family and abusive father. Her sweet dream began to turn melancholic. Chara began to speak but stopped. The dream she held so tight did nothing for her.

“All your progress… all their memories. I’ll turn them back to zero!” Prince Asriel Dreemurr crowed and vanished. In his wake, colorful lightning bolts crashed down into the multicolored ground that Frisk and Chara stood upon. Although many hit Chara, nothing happened to her. But when they hit Frisk, they cracked her soul.

 _“Asriel readies ‘Chaos Saber,’”_ Chara commented. _“That’s the one with the swords.”_

Frisk nodded and shook her head. Unfortunately, the heartbreaking echo of the deceased souls she once called her family stuck to her like cobwebs. Frisk smiled. Cobwebs; just like the time Muffet trapped them in the web. The thought of Muffet and her clan’s new future, new _hope_ , gave her determination. A crack in her soul repaired itself.

“After I defeat you and gain control of the timeline… I just want to reset everything.” Prince Asriel raised his hands. Two swords appeared in his hands. Frisk yelped and danced from side to side to prevent the swords from slicing her in half. The swords clapped together. Stars burst from the impact. A few tore into Frisk.

_“Asriel charges ‘Shocker Breaker.’”_

“Again?!” Frisk asked in exasperation and winced. “Ow. Where…?” Her bag was completely empty. “Oh no. What–?”

Chara’s gaze flicked between Frisk and Prince Asriel. “Dream, Frisk. Recall a dream that gave you hope, that smells of hope and love. Then hold it tight.”

Frisk looked up at Prince Asriel. His wicked teeth gleamed and his eyes, black as the void with white pupils, watched her. She recalled their time in the puddles. She could imagine Prince Asriel and Chara splashing through puddles just like Frisk and MK did. The dream of the long-lost siblings warmed her chest. A crack vanished from her soul. She could feel her bag filling up.

“All your progress… everyone’s memories…” A mad gleam shined in Prince Asriel’s eyes. “I’ll set them all back to zero!” He vanished. Multicolored bolts of lightning struck the ground. Frisk yelped and bounced around. By the end of it, Frisk was feeling dizzy.

Chara piped up, “ _Asriel readies Star Blazer.”_ The long dead human hesitated. _“That’s the one with all the giant stars.”_

Frist nodded and set her hand in her bag. Heat seeped into her fingers and, in seconds, the feeling of love and determination calmed her and cleared her mind. It was as if she had been covered in mud and a warm shower had washed it all away. She looked up at Prince Asriel with clear eyes.

“Then we can do everything ALL over again!” Prince Asriel waved his arms and vanished. Indeed, giant stars rained from the sky. They burst upon hitting an invisible barrier. Tiny stars cut into her.

_“Asriel readies ‘Chaos Buster.’”_

“Chaos Buster?” Frisk wheezed. “What is that?”

 _“I… don’t know,”_ Chara replied. _“It might have something to do with color? But every one of his attacks have to do with color. A laser gun, I think?”_

“That doesn’t help.” Frisk set her hand in her bag. Her soul glowed with a new light, completely clean of cracks.

_“It’s been years since we played Rainbow Wars! You try remembering a game you played with your sibling a hundred years ago!”_

Prince Asriel sneered, “And you know what the best part of all this is? You’ll DO it!” A giant gun-esc laser appeared in his hand. Three lines of light shot out at Frisk. Large, square bullets burst from the muzzle of it. All of them followed the three laser pointers like a guide. Frisk jumped around to get away from the lasers. Finally, the lasers turned off. Prince Asriel spun the machine. It filled up with a rainbow liquid. The muzzle opened, and a giant rainbow laser burst forth. Frisk dodged the blast and stumbled to a stop.

 _“Asriel calls on ‘Chaos Saber,’”_ Chara warned.

Frisk took a deep breath and stared at Prince Asriel. Her eyes never left his. Although his gaze was dark, and a malicious gleam sparked within him, Frisk could not see the evil behind it. She could only see the little flower that Frisk knew would make it to the surface. The hope that they would one day lead everyone to a beautiful life on the surface gave her new energy.

Prince Asriel cackled. “And then you’ll lose to me again.” Two swords appeared in his hands. Frisk jumped from foot to foot to get away from his attacks. The stars were still very difficult to slip past.

_“Asriel readies ‘Chaos Buster.’ That’s the laser gun one.”_

Frisk nodded. She recalled the hope of a new life that she held dear. One of the cracks vanished from her soul. Frisk smiled.

“And again.” Prince Asriel smirked and pulled the laser gun out of thin air. Frisk gasped and raced away from the lasers. This was a very difficult attack to evade. Although standing in one place and then side-stepping during each attack would make her life much easier, her panic took away any real strategy in the situation.

_“Asriel readies ‘Shocker Breaker II.’”_

“Now what is _that?_ ” Frisk prompted.

Chara shrugged. _“It’s probably a stronger version of the lightning attack? I don’t think we had version-two attacks. He might have made that up just now.”_

Frisk gave her a brisk nod. She held onto their hope of freedom and happiness. “We _will_ get out of here. We _will_ save everyone. Then everyone _will_ be happy.”

“And again!” Prince Asriel announced with a laugh and vanished. The lightning fell with more strength and more speed. Frisk yelped in fright and raced out of the way of each strike–or, at least, tried. Electricity tore through her soul. By the end of the bombardment of electrical attacks, Frisk could hardly stand.

 _“Asriel readies ‘Galactica Blazing.’”_ Chara nodded. _“Yes. That’s a bigger version of ‘Star Blazing.’ Big stars.”_

Frisk took a deep breath. Her fingers brushed the inside of her bag. The dreams of freedom and happiness cleared her mind and mended her soul.

“Because you want a ‘happy ending,’” Prince Asriel taunted. He waved his arms. Stars glimmered around his fingers. Stars blazed and crashed down upon the invisible barrier. Frisk staggered back into multiple attacks as she dodged others. Finally, a gargantuan star slowly descended and crashed into the barrier. Rings of stars bombarded the small human.

_“Asriel readies ‘Chaos Slicer.’ That’s another version of the swords.”_

Frisk nodded and stuck her hand in her bag. She cleared her mind and mended her soul–for the most part. Prince Asriel sneered, “Because you ‘love your friends.’” Two swords appeared in his hands. The constant swinging of the massive weapons didn’t seem any different from the first attack. The stars that were sparked in the end didn’t seem any different.

_“Asriel readies Chaos Blaster. The gun.”_

Frisk recalled her hope of freedom and happiness. A crack in her soul vanished. She could feel a heat spread from her chest throughout her body. She smiled and looked back up at her friend whose mind had been warped by power and the feelings of malice and fear that the souls within him held.

“Because you ‘never give up.’” The laser gun appeared in his hand. Frisk took a deep breath to steady her fluttering heart. She side-stepped and paused. She was reminded of Sans’ and Papyrus’ attacks. It was a constant dance of moving and stopping. The end surprised her, however. The laser poured its pent-up energy in the air beside her. Rings of stars burst from the tip of the laser. Frisk hardly had the ability to process the last-minute adjustment to the attack before dodging.

_“Asriel readies ‘Shocker Breaker II.’”_

Frisk’s fingers brushed the last of the dreams that manifested themselves in her bag. Her bag oddly felt emptier than before.

Prince Asriel slowly shook his head with a demeaning chuckle, “Isn’t that delicious? Your ‘determination.’ The power that helped get you this far… it’s going to be your downfall!” Lightning struck at Frisk. She yelped and raced away from the intense, hyper-fast attacks. By the end, she felt shaky. Still, with the amount of soul magic in the air… there was no way she felt tired.

 _“Asriel prepares ‘Hyper Goner,’”_ Chara stated. _“I… don’t know what that is.”_

Frisk took a deep breath and looked up at Prince Asriel. “I believe in you, Prince Asriel Dreemurr. Even if you defeat me, I’ll be right back here to meet you.”

Prince Asriel cackled. “Now _enough_ messing around! It’s time to purge this timeline once and for all!” He waved his hands and vanished. The color was sucked out of the world. If it wasn’t for the giant goat skull that appeared before her, Frisk would’ve considered the theory that she went completely blind. The giant skull laughed and opened its mouth wide. Frisk’s feet began to slip toward the monster. Chara gasped as the pull took her, too. The two turned and raced away from the skull. Yet, it was like the time Muffet’s pet attacked them. No matter how fast she ran, the ground beneath her fell away at a faster pace. It helped that giant squares rushed past her like the spiders on the web. The black fell away under the blaze of white light that the goat skull burst into.

Frisk collapsed. Chara staggered and put a hand to her head. Prince Asriel hovered above them. His teeth were bared in a sneer. Colors returned to the world. Chara helped Frisk to her feet. “…even after that attack, you're still standing in my way…? Wow… you really _are_ something special. But don’t get cocky. Up until now, I’ve only been using a fraction of my _real_ power! Let’s see what good your determination is against _this!_ ” The world turned white. Frisk raised her arm over her eyes to block the glare.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> "The whole world is ending."


	37. SAVE The World!

Suddenly, Frisk was no longer in the empty blackness of the void. She stood up. Around them were fragments of space. Platforms made from the shattered night sky floated in the empty black void around her. Frisk and Chara stood on a large chunk of space. Before them, Prince Asriel floated. His horns grew and morphed into a wave away from his head. Two giant ears curled around his great head. His body had changed. It was as if Captain Undyne and Mettaton had merged their armor with a bit of Prince Asriel’s own flare. The chest was round and shiny white with a brilliant red heart in the center. Spiked, curled shoulders branched out. His arms were shaped like white gloves with hearts on the back of them. They hovered, detached from his body, beside him. His legs, also separate from his body, were put in a cone with the line that parted it swirling back and forth. What caught her attention the most were the two giant wings that swirled and changed color.

When Frisk attempted to move, she couldn’t. It was as if Captain Undyne held her heart in place or Muffet spun her into a web or Flowey had ensnared her in vines. All she could do was attempt to struggle but fail to get free.

 _“Asriel blocks the way.”_ Chara stared at Asriel as if seeing him for the first time.

“Urah hah hah! Behold my TRUE power!” Prince Asriel cried and waved his hands. Multicolored comets sprang from his hands. Frisk struggled and squirmed to get away. She failed. She hovered her hand next to her soul and pushed it away. The comets rushed around her. With Frisk’s guidance, her soul fluttered away from the multicolored projectiles. If it got too far away, Frisk’s vision would grow dark and her chest would begin to hurt. Thus, Frisk kept her soul close. Unfortunately, Frisk couldn’t dodge all of Prince Asriel’s attacks. One comet crashed into her soul. It promptly _shattered._

Chara pounced on her. With one arm wrapped around her dizzy friend, she held out the other. The shattered pieces of her soul rejoined.

*But it refused.

Chara pulled it back so that Frisk’s soul, whole and blazing with warmth and light, stayed close to Frisk’s chest. Chara let go with a heavy wheeze. Frisk shook her head and looked around with bright eyes. “I’m not dead?”

 _“Not on my watch.”_ Chara took a deep, steadying breath.

Prince Asriel’s midnight-toothed smile widened. “I can feel it… Every time you die, your grip on this world slips away. Every time you die, your friends forget you a little more. Your life will end here, in a world where no one remembers you…” More comets blazed from his fingertips. Frisk, struggling to move, pulled her soul away from each attack. The attack clustered near the top and bottom as they flew in an arc. So, there were some larger spaces between clusters that Frisk could hide in to avoid harm.

The attack ended. Frisk struggled a bit more. She failed to move even a single inch. Prince Asriel prompted, “Still you’re hanging on…? That’s fine. In a few moments, you’ll forget everything, too. That attitude will serve you well in your next life!” Comets blazed out from his hands and around Frisk. A few managed to crack into her. Frisk shook off the attacks. She continued to struggle. Prince Asriel goaded, “Ura ha ha… Still!? Come on… Show me what good your DETERMINATION is now!” More comets were launched at her.

Frisk attempted to struggle again. She failed, again. She attempted to move her body. She failed. Chara held out her hands on either side of Frisk. Chara’s chest brushed the young human’s back so her hands appeared on either side and joined together before Frisk. “RESET” and “CONTINUE” sputtered in her hands and fizzled out. Chara frowned and tried harder. The buttons appeared and fizzled out again. She concentrated all of her willpower on the “RESET” button. Frisk attempted to catch it. She attempted to reach her old SAVE point. Nothing happened. She tried again, combining both Frisk’s and Chara’s wills together. Still, nothing happened. Frisk mused, “It seems trying to _save_ us is impossible.”

Chara narrowed her eyes. _“No. We still have some power. Maybe, with what little power we have, we can save something else.”_ A large grin spread across Chara’s features. The fizzling reset and continue buttons Chara had been attempting to summon vanished. Replacing them was a sturdy button glowing in a rainbow of lights: “SAVE.” Frisk immediately put her hands to the button. Chara grinned _. “Captain Undyne, Dr. Alphys, Papyrus, Sans, Mom, and Dad.”_

Frisk’s eyes grew round. She held out her hand to Prince Asriel’s soul. “P-Papyrus! I know you’re in there! Lost, but there!” Within the depths of Prince Asriel’s soul, something is resonating.

Her vision flashed white.

Frisk looked around. Prince Asriel was nowhere to be seen. The ethereal plane of the night sky stretched out all around her to create the ground. Chara now stood next to Frisk. The young human looked up. Her eyes grew round in shock as she looked upon their skeletal friends. Papyrus stood there, solemn as if at a funeral, and Sans stood beside him. His stance was loose and his smile lazy. Their heads were enveloped in flickering white flames. Frisk’s soul turned blue. Yet, she didn’t feel cold.

Frisk looked back at Chara. Chara piped up, _“They don’t recognize you. I don’t think they even know they’re here. Try saying something that will remind them of you or something about themselves.”_

Frisk hesitated and looked to Papyrus. “P-Papyrus. I, uh, need your help with a puzzle.”

Papyrus struggled to hide his joy. “I MUST CAPTURE A HUMAN!”

“just give up,” Sans stated with a depressed sigh. “i did.”

Bones were summoned from the ground. Frisk backed up and then jumped over them. They were slower than either of their battles. It’s as if neither of them had their hearts in the attack. In fact, Sans was hardly paying attention to, much less aiding in, the fight.

Frisk stood up straight and turned to Sans once the attack ended. “You look pretty down, Sans. Um… say, I have a good one: Why did the skeleton go to the dance alone? Because he had no _body_ to go with!”

A small, exasperated chuckle was drawn from Sans and a heavy groan from Papyrus.

“why even try?” Sans prompted.

“THEN EVERYONE WILL…” Papyrus started.

Frisk dodged the next attacks quite easily.

“Papyrus, buddy. Why don’t you cook up more of that awesome spaghetti and we can all hang out?”

Papyrus’ eyes lit up for a moment before being smothered again. This time, he didn’t comment. Sans went on to mutter, “you’ll never see ‘em again.”

Frisk jumped over a few more bones, ducked under some, and stayed stock still through a few others. Once the simple, slow attack ended, Frisk prompted, “Sans: you’re not really into this battle, are you? Why not take a break?”

Sans nodded in agreement. Quite suddenly, the fire vanished from Sans and Papyrus. Sans’ lazy smile became genuine and his eyes lit up. “heh. nah, i’m rootin’ for ya, kid.”

Papyrus grinned and set his gaze. “HUMAN! I COULD NEVER FORSAKE YOU!”

A bright light flashed, and Frisk was again stuck in place before the Angel of Death. Frisk smiled and held out her hand. “Captain Undyne! Come here! I know you’re in there!”

Frisk’s soul turned green. She stood before Captain Undyne, now. Captain Undyne’s head blazed with dull, cold white fire. She was wearing her broken-heart t-shirt and jeans rather than her armor. Frisk started to speak but was cut off.

“All humans will die!” Captain Undyne barked and threw her hand toward Frisk. A blue spear shaft appeared in Frisk’s hand. She held up the weapon to block the incoming attacks. These, too, were slower than the fight she had endured in Waterfall.

Frisk smiled. “Captain Undyne! Wanna test your mettle against me?”

The edges of Captain Undyne’s lips flickered in the beginning of a smile before fading. “You’re our real enemy.” She flipped her spear and summoned a few more.

Frisk lowered her weapon as the last of the arrows vanished. “Captain Undyne! How about another fighting lesson?”

A look of slight confusion and turmoil flitted across her features. She struggled to put down her desire to aid her. Instead, she growled, “Mercy’s for the weak.” Again, she sent rows of spears after her. Frisk deflected them all with ease.

Frisk gave her a brilliant smile, just like the one Captain Undyne liked to wear. Captain Undyne watched her for a few moments. The fire vanished from her head. Captain Undyne gave her a wide, fanged smile. “Hah! Some humans are okay, I guess!”

The young human and her spirit friend were standing before Prince Asriel. Frisk put on a wide smile. “Dr. Alphys! I know that you’re in there!”

Frisk’s soul flipped upside down and turned yellow. Dr. Alphys, donned in a beautiful night-sky dress, stood before them. Her head was bowed, and arms brought up close. Fire enveloped her head. “You hate me, don’t you?” she accused in a small voice. Miniature square Mettatons fluttered above her.

Frisk guided her soul up and shot them out of the air. “No, I don’t. Dr. Alphys, I will support you, even if the going gets rough.”

Dr. Alphys flashed the smallest of hopeful smiles before fading. “All I do is hurt people…” Bombs flanking boxes drifted from the sky. Frisk activated a bomb and stood to the side to avoid its blast. She shot down the next and side-stepped it. After about half a dozen more bombs, the attack ended.

Frisk smiled. “Dr. Alphys! I’m kind of curious: what’s the difference between a human soul and a monster soul?”

Dr. Alphys’ eyes lit up. She could barely keep herself from answering. Suddenly, the fire vanished. She gasped, “N-no! I’m not alone. You guys love me a-and I love you back!”

Frisk’s soul flipped right-side-up and turned red. Prince Asriel stared down at her. Frisk took a deep breath. “Toriel! I know you’re there! Answer me!”

Hardly a breath was wasted before Frisk and Chara faced Toriel and King Asgore. Both of them had a dark, sad look to them. Both of their heads were alight in white flame.

“I have to leave if I can free everyone,” Frisk pointed out.

For the slightest moment, Toriel’s sad look became hopeful. It fell again. “This is for your own good.”

“Please, forgive me for this,” King Asgore rumbled.

Yellow and blue fire swirled around her in a graceful tangle of blue and gold. Frisk hopped around to avoid being hit by slow, gentle balls of fire.

Frisk looked at King Asgore. “I _refuse_ to fight you.”

A look of familiarity crossed over him before fading. “This is my duty.”

“No one will ever leave again,” Toriel stated in a forceful tone.

Both boss monsters swept their hands toward Frisk. Their sunny yellow and crystal blue fire intertwined so close green flickered between them as the fire flowed toward Frisk.

Frisk stared into King Asgore’s tired eyes. The solemn king stared right back at her. He did not comment. He could not comment. Toriel didn’t speak either. Frisk dodged another careful attack by the two of them. Once the fire was gone, Frisk turned to Toriel. Without even thinking about it, Frisk wrapped her arms around Toriel in a tight hug. “We’re going to be okay.”

The fire vanished from her and from King Asgore. Toriel’s eyes grew round in shock and joy. “Your future is up to you now!”

Frisk backed away with a brilliant grin and looked at King Asgore.

“You are our future!” King Asgore declared.

Their presence left her.

Frisk and Chara stood before Prince Asriel Dreemurr. Their friends had been saved. Yet the feeling of closure did not come to her. There was still someone who needed to be saved. Something began to resonate in Prince Asriel’s soul, brighter and brighter. “There’s someone else… but who…?”

Chara intertwined her fingers into Frisk’s. _“Save him.”_

Frisk hesitated and then smiled. She called out to him.

“Huh? What are you doing…?!” Prince Asriel’s voice cracked.

 

_Leaves and grass cushioned their fall. Chara attempted to get up but whimpered in the pain of her hurt leg. She tipped her head back and cried for help. Prince Asriel peeked out from behind a pillar. A look of concern crossed his features. Chara recoiled from the odd monster child. Prince Asriel attempted to speak with her. After a while, it began to work. He managed to calm Chara down. He helped Chara all the way back to his home. Queen Toriel answered them. Her healing magic mended the child’s battered body. Queen Toriel and King Asgore adopted little Chara. Chara and Prince Asriel quickly became best friends._

 

“Wh… what did you do…? What’s this feeling? What’s happening to me?” Prince Asriel’s eyes grew round in shock. He shook his head and snarled, “No! NO! I don’t need _ANYONE!”_ He whipped his hands out toward her. Comets rushed out of his hands. They were so quick and so high in number that there was no way she could dodge. Surprisingly enough, the comets did little to hurt her.

Tears glimmered in Frisk’s eyes. “Asriel, we’re your friends. We’re here to help you!”

“STOP IT! Get away from me!” Prince Asriel barked. “Do you hear me?! I’ll tear you apart!” He raised his hands. Only a dozen slow comets sparked from his hands and lazily flowed around her.

Frisk shook her head. “No, Asriel. We won’t give up on you.”

Prince Asriel’s head dipped and his eyes shut. “…Chara? Do you know why I’m doing this? Why I’m fighting to keep you around?” Frisk pulled her soul toward herself. Chara’s hands cupped over Frisk’s. Emerald fire rained around them. Yet not one ball of flame got near to touching Frisk.

Prince Asriel opened his eyes. The attack ceased. “I’m doing this… because you’re special, Chara. You’re the only one that understands me. You’re the only one who’s any fun to play with anymore.” Harmless emerald fire fell around them again. Frisk glanced back. Chara bit her tongue. Tears ran down her rosy cheeks and chin. Eventually, the fire dissipated. “No. That’s not _just_ it. I… I… I’m doing this because I care about you, Chara. I care about you more than anybody else!”

Chara made a squeaking noise. Her hand left Frisk’s in an attempt to communicate, though they both knew it would be lost on him. Green fire fluttered past Frisk like teardrops.

“I’m not ready for this to end. I’m not ready for you to leave. I’m not ready to say goodbye to someone like you again…” Prince Asriel whined. Emerald fire rained around her. Chara’s breathing got funny for a moment. Frisk blinked away her own tears.

_“Frisk–Attack 15, Defense 15. HP 01/20. Determined to SAVE monsters.”_

Prince Asriel’s voice became shaky. He screamed, “So please… stop doing this! AND JUST LET ME WIN!” He waved his hands that began to glow. His hands clapped together. The glow sharpened into a ray of light and a laser bore down on her. Frisk gasped. Her soul nearly left her. Chara screw shut her eyes and tightened her grip on Frisk’s hands. She focused her concentration on Frisk’s soul. The laser bore down on her. Yet Frisk’s soul refuse to break. It cracked further and further.

_“Frisk–Attack 15, Defense 15. HP .9/20 Determined to SAVE monsters.”_

“STOP IT!” he screamed. The laser got brighter. Microfractures began to break off pieces of her soul. Chara kept them relatively in one piece. Frisk’s eyes shut and she gritted her teeth.

_“Frisk–Attack 15, Defense 15. HP .01/20 Determined to SAVE monsters.”_

“STOP IT NOW!” Prince Asriel screeched. The laser got brighter and bigger. Chara’s cheek brushed Frisk’s. Frisk’s legs were nearly ready to fall out from under her. Her heart fluttered. It became harder and harder for Chara to keep her together. Chara’s physicality began to deteriorate. Frisk noticed that she could see through Chara’s hands a little, like a foggy glass door.

_“Frisk–Attack 15, Defense 15. HP .001/20 Determined to SAVE monsters.”_

 “JUST LET ME WIN!”

_“Frisk–Attack 15, Defense 15. HP .00001/20 Determined to SAVE monsters.”_

Eventually, the laser stopped. Chara nearly fainted. Frisk used the last of her tiny bit of strength to keep them standing.

_“Frisk–Attack 15, Defense 15. HP .0000001/20 Determined to SAVE monsters.”_

Chara’s eyes fluttered open again as Prince Asriel spoke, “Chara…”

Chara sniffled. _“Asriel…”_

The world began to darken.

“I’m so alone, Chara…”

Chara nodded. _“We’re together now, Asriel…”_

The world darkened further.

“I’m so afraid, Chara…”

_“You don’t have to be afraid anymore, Asriel…”_

“Chara, I…” the world darkened further. “I…”

Everything went white.

 

Suddenly, they were in complete black, again. No stars or fractured night sky surrounded them. Before them, whimpering and crying with his face in his arm, was little Prince Asriel, who was their age. Chara’s eyes grew round. Frisk straightened out her posture. She found more ability in her legs.

“I’m so sorry,” Prince Asriel choked. He wiped his face and took a deep breath.

Chara gave him a watery smile and stood beside Frisk.

Prince Asriel chuckled. “I haven’t felt this way in a long time.” His smile fell. “As a flower… I became scared. Really, really scared. I lost my friends and family and courage. It became hard to love. But easy to feel LOVE, unfortunately.” He locked eyes with Frisk. “I’m so sorry, Frisk. What I did was wrong. I shouldn’t have hurt you like I did. So, I understand if you can’t forgive me.”

Frisk shook her head. “Asriel, I know what you did was awful. Honestly, it really hurt. But… but you meant well. You’re _doing_ well.”

Chara piped up, “And you did bad things. But look at where we are now.”

Prince Asriel looked up at Chara as if seeing her for the first time. “Ch-Chara…? Frisk?” He sniffled and spoke in a shaky voice, “So you’ve been here the whole time? With us?”

Chara nodded. “Ever since Frisk fell down here, Azzy. I’ve been with you two every step of the way. I won’t leave you, either.”

Frisk grinned. “She’s been helping us all along. She even helped you when you took the souls!”

Prince Asriel laughed. “You… you’re special. Both of you.” His smile fell. “But I can’t keep these souls inside of me. The least I can do is return them. But first… I’ll listen to you. It’s the least you deserve. I guess… what they deserve, too.” He shut his eyes and raised his arms. He was lifted a foot or so into the “air.” Then, the souls twirled around him. He cried a silent chant. Purple, blue, cyan, yellow, gold, and green swirled around him. Innumerable upside-down silver hearts swirled past them all.

Somewhere, a hard _crraaaaaaaack!_ could be heard. It was as if something snapped a rock in half underwater. They could hear it, and knew it was nearby, but it felt faint, blurred, and far away.

Prince Asriel landed before them. He sighed and looked up at them. “Frisk, Chara… I can’t keep maintaining this form. Soon, I’ll… turn into a flower again. I accept that. I’ve given everyone their souls back, but I know they still remember me. So, I think it’s best that y-you go with Mom and Dad.” He began to choke on his own words. “Just leave me here. Be outside, with everyone else.” Prince Asriel couldn’t continue to drag himself through his speech. Chara launched herself at him. Her arms wrapped around him in a tight hug. “Ha… ha… I don’t want to let go…” Prince Asriel chuckled.

Eventually, a long eventually, they let go. He looked between them. “You’re going to do a great job, okay? Everyone’s going to be there for you. Don’t forget that, okay? …well, my time is running down. It’s… time for me to leave.”

Chara held her hands up to stop him. “No! You are not leaving until you take this.”

“What?” Prince Asriel and Frisk both stared at the things in Chara’s hands.

The… things swirled around each other like the Earth and Moon. At one time, they looked like hearts. One was a blood red heart right side up and glowing in power. The second was silver and upside down, glimmering with its own magical strength.

Currently, the silver was whole in one half, but all but obliterated on other, with jagged marks running down the middle and pieces of soul hovering close. An iridescent sheen wavered over the surface of it. The red soul fared no better. Right now, it was three-quarters of what it once was.

“What’s… how?” Prince Asriel breathed.

“It’s your soul, Asriel,” Chara stated. “I kept it with me. I’ve been trying to fix it. I used everything I had to keep it together. I’ve been keeping it together with as much of my own soul as I could scavenge. When other humans came down here, I borrowed some of their determination to keep maintaining this. But when Frisk came… I couldn’t take anything from her. So, I just shared my determination. Though you are powerful, I was able to shatter your soul, Frisk, before a monster could steal it. That’s why we’re so close, Frisk.”

“You… you kept it,” Asriel whispered. “After all that time… you destroyed your own soul in the hopes that you _might_ bring me back?”

Chara nodded. “You’re my brother, Azzy. If I’ve told you once, I’ve told you a million times: it’s us forever. I screwed up and it cost you your life. It’s only right I fix it.”

Frisk grinned. “I’m so glad you’ve been guiding me, Chara! You’re such a great person!”

Prince Asriel prompted, “What does that mean? My soul is still broken. How do we…?”

“What if I give him mine?” Frisk prompted. “That way we can all stay together.”

Prince Asriel shook his head. “I’m not going to kill you, Frisk.”

Chara looked between them. “Well… I can steal, and I can share the very essence of souls from both monsters and humans. I’ve… stolen determination before and used human souls. Technically, combined with Frisk, I have the ability to reset so completely not even you will remember, Asriel. What if I could… combine the two? Give you both half of what you originally were plus half of the other’s?”

“Is that possible?” Asriel prompted. “Mom never told us anything like that. Nor did I see Dr. Alphys think of something like that.”

“It is,” Chara replied. “Mom just taught us what she knew, not what she theorized. Dr. Alphys was focused on duplicating determination, not splitting it. She even said that you have the most potent determination of any soul that’s fallen down here, Frisk–almost as much as me. Even half of it was stronger than the other individual six souls. Now, do you trust me?”

Frisk nodded. “Of course!”

Asriel shook his head. “This is–no!” Chara jolted and both children turned to him with round eyes. “I was terrible to you!” Asriel pointed out. “I bullied you! I ignored the signs. I went ahead with our plan instead of trying to stop you! Then I went off and got us both killed! After I died I didn’t learn my lesson and bossed Frisk around, too! Why are you doing this, Chara? Why are you being so _nice to me?_ ”

“Because you’re my best friend.”

Asriel looked to Frisk. “And you haven’t even known us two days and you’re willing to split your soul in half in the off-chance that I might live? Even if your life is risked? This has never been done before, remember that.”

Frisk dipped her head. “You deserve it.”

“I _don’t._ That’s the problem! Neither of you see if because you’re both so-so–! Ugh!” He threw his arms up. “I was a horrible kid! I don’t deserve this! I was an awful flower, too. I stole those souls when I shouldn’t have and pushed you to your breaking point, Frisk. But, Chara? You do. You’ve been through so much, you’ve been holding onto that broken monster soul, giving your entire being’s energy into it, since we died all that time ago. Me? No. Even if I hadn’t died, I’d have just grown into a villain, like everyone else. L-like what Dad was. I even stole those souls out of _greed._ Chara, you take the soul. Maybe you’ll just still be a spirit, I don’t know. But you deserve it.”

“First of all,” Chara stated, “Don’t you dare compare yourself to Asgore. Even as a flower, you were much better than he ever was.” Chara looked down at the soul pieces in her hands. “Secondly… I wonder. If I could split this soul in half…”

Frisk, once Chara stopped talking, piped up, “What do you mean ‘out of greed?’ You were going to help me through the barrier. You said so!”

“I lied.”

“You… lied?” Frisk blinked. Flowey wouldn’t lie to her. Everyone said good things about Asriel, so wouldn’t Asriel be good? Even if he wasn’t good, he was still Flowey when he took the human souls.

“I did. I-I was planning to talk to you,” Asriel admitted. “I was going to talk to you after everything settled and then find a way to get you across the barrier or… or break it. But I saw the souls there, unguarded, glowing with powerful SOUL energy. As a flower, I was really weak. But if I had those human souls, I could be so much stronger. I knew if I had the power of even one human soul, I’d be strong enough to fend off anyone. But if I had _six_ , I could become near god-like. I just… stopped thinking. I took them without asking because I wanted their power.” He sighed and bowed his head. “I’m sorry.”

Frisk stepped forward and drew him in for a hug. “It’s okay, Asriel. I forgive you.”

“Wh-what?” Asriel’s eyes went wide. “You… why?”

“You were doing what was best for yourself,” Frisk admitted. “I was being selfish, too. I did bad things as well. Really bad things. So… I forgive you. You didn’t try to kill me, I did that all on my own. So, that’s not your fault. When you turned into the _Hypergod of Death_ or whatever, you weren’t thinking clearly. You’re not completely innocent, I know, but I forgive you.”

Asriel sighed and hugged her back. “You’re a good kid, Frisk.”

Chara piped up, “Asriel, I’ll need the help of the leftover power from souls you had, but I have an idea.”

Frisk let go. Asriel asked, “What is it?”

“It’s very out there. And there’s no guarantee it’ll work. It’s just an accumulation of what I’ve seen, read, and heard about souls and about my own experimentation with Determination. So, you’re going to have to trust me. Do you? Both?”

Asriel glanced at Frisk, who nodded. He took a deep breath. “We do,” Asriel and Frisk stated together.

Chara smiled. “Good.” She sighed. “Now, just hold still. We’ll be back home soon.”

“Promise you’ll stay with me,” Frisk blurted out.

Asriel smiled. “I’ll stay with you. I promise. Even if this doesn’t work and I’m a flower.”

Chara looked between them. “I promise that I’ll stay with you. No matter what.”

Frisk chuckled. “Good. Then I promise that I won’t stop doing the right thing for everyone here. I won’t let you guys down.”

Frisk could see her soul glowing in Chara’s left hand while Asriel’s shimmered in her right. _Shirk!_ Frisk’s consciousness began to fade. The figures around them darkened. Frisk felt herself hit the floor. She was gone.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, guys, so hear me out.
> 
> The exact nature of souls is unknown. Since Chara has a whole ton of Determination... why can't she do anything with it? Even then, she is connected to Frisk. Together, they do the "True Resets" so obviously Chara has quite a bit of power hiding somewhere. Asriel has a Boss Monster soul and BM souls can last outside of the body, if for but a while. And this whole thing isn't a convoluted mess of theory and lore just to get the trio back together again.
> 
> Fun fact: I changed the ending dialogue _today._ Like, an hour before I published it. The book was done before I published Chapter One, but was finished being polished, the plot smoothed over, and plot-hole filled in by Chapter Twenty-Seven. Chapter Thirty-Seven hadn't been touched, really, since the initial clean-through a few weeks ago.  
>  Also, see you Monday for the finale! :)


	38. Give Life

“Frisk…!”

The gentle word broke the numbness of her dreamless sleep.

“This is all just a bad dream. Please wake up…!”

Frisk’s eyes fluttered open. The darkness of the unknown and her two best friends were no longer there. Instead, surrounding her were Toriel, Sans, Papyrus, Captain Undyne, Dr. Alphys, and King Asgore. She sat up and shook her head. “Huh…?”

“Oh! You are awake!” Toriel sighed, setting a hand on her chest. “Thank goodness.”

Dr. Alphys nodded, her eyes wide and fingers intertwined. “Y-y-yeah! We w-were so worried. It felt like…” There was a slight pause. “You were asleep a long time.”

“Yeah,” Captain Undyne scoffed, her lips upturned in a tooth-baring smile. “Any longer and Papyrus here would’ve freaked out. Tell us next time you decide to take a nap, alright?”

“yeah,” Sans agreed. “you made papyrus–”

“I DO NOT!” Papyrus snarled, bristling but unable to hide the quiver in his voice. “I DIDN’T CRY. I _DON’T_ CRY.”

“Now, now,” King Asgore raised his voice above them. “The important part is that Frisk is alright. Would you like a cup of tea?”

“Actually!” Toriel piped up. “I think we need to give her some space, first.”

Frisk got to her feet. “I’m alright! Really. Just, uh, a bit tired.”

Toriel prompted, “Frisk… we do not remember what happened. You had been healed and we heard Flowey yell. Then everything went white. But now the barrier is gone!” She grinned. “Whenever you are ready, we will all return to the surface.”

King Asgore agreed, “Whenever you are ready, child. It is only fitting you leave with us. Now, though the order to pack up has been given, why don’t you take a walk? Many people have been wanting to check up on you.”

“Do as you wish,” Toriel agreed, her voice sharpening a little at King Asgore’s contradiction. “Take it easy. Perhaps it would be best if you settled down for a little while.”

Frisk shook her head. “No, I’m fine. Thank you! But walking does sound like a great idea! Hey, Flowey! Maybe we can…?” She tipped her head and looked over the ground. “Flowey?” She went on in thought, _“Chara? Have you seen Flowey?”_

…

_“Chara?”_

Toriel answered her this time. “He is not here. He wasn’t here when any of us woke.”

Captain Undyne huffed. “Yeah. By the sounds he was making, he probably fled.”

“What?” Frisk sucked in her breath. “No! He wouldn’t do that! I talked to him. We…”

“Hey, Frisk!”

Frisk spun around. “Flowey?” Wait, that wasn’t Flowey’s high-pitched voice.

“It’s me!” Frisk’s friend’s voice agreed cheerfully, though it was muffled a bit as he was not in the room. Soon, a kid walked around the bend. The talking amongst them immediately ceased. Standing before them was not Flowey. A young fluffy boy with drooping ears and bright red eyes like his parents stood before Frisk. A red and gold banded shirt and dark pants dressed him. He grinned. “Asriel!”

Chara’s voice breathed, _“It worked, Frisk. It took a while, but it worked.”_

Frisk squeaked and dragged Asriel in for a hug. “Oh, it worked! It worked!”

Asriel laughed and hugged her back. “Chara always was the smarter one.” He looked past Frisk. His smile widened. “Mom! Dad!”

Frisk stepped back. Asriel ran past her to tackle his father and take his mother’s hand as if trying to hug them both at the same time despite being a fraction of their collective size. Frisk jumped as she felt a hand in hers. Chara stood by her side, a melancholic smile on her features as she looked over the reunited family. “They’re happy.”

Frisk nodded, swallowing the tightness in her throat.

Chara held her hand tighter. Frisk pulled her in for a hug, struggling to blink away the tears from her eyes. Chara stayed silent, running her fingers through Frisk’s hair. Frisk didn’t question the fabric she could feel beneath her fingers or the heartbeat she heard that matched her own or the gentle rising and falling of her chest. She didn’t question the fact that Chara was no longer a spirit, no longer an entity that could only comfort through words or transference of power.

Frisk jumped as she heard Asriel’s voice. “Hey! Don’t be sad! Come on!”

Frisk tilted her head up enough to find their friend standing before them. Although Toriel and Asgore stood next to each other, Asgore would shoot dark looks at Toriel, who couldn’t take her eyes off her children. Frisk stepped back and laughed, rubbing her eyes. “Hehe. Sorry.”

Chara punched Asriel in the shoulder, causing him to yelp. “Come on! Don’t be like that, Azzy!”

Frisk giggled. “Aw! Now she can tell you what I wouldn’t!”

“Yeah,” Chara agreed. “Goody-two-shoes over here refused to let me speak my mind.”

“Technically,” Frisk started. “You couldn’t speak anyw–oof!” She huffed as Chara punched her in the shoulder, though this blow was significantly softer.

“Now, now,” Toriel clicked her tongue. “Chara, I told you not to hit.”

Chara shrugged.

King Asgore rumbled, “Yes, don’t go punching Asriel and Frisk.”

Surprisingly, Chara shot a glare at him. She signed something.

“Now, this is over. The barrier is broken, Chara.”

Chara growled and signed something rapidly. Asriel snorted and put a hand to his muzzle. Toriel put a hand to her mouth. “Chara! Language!”

Frisk grabbed Chara’s wrist. The girl turned her scarlet eyes back on Frisk. “Chara, we’re free, now. We can do whatever we want.”

Chara cleared her throat and rolled her eyes. “Yeah, yeah. So, when are we getting out of here?”

Frisk piped up, “When _are_ we leaving?”

Toriel purred, “Whenever you want to!”

“Okay! Can we leave now?” Frisk asked.

“Certainly! …wait, are we ready to go outside?”

 

Asriel immediately went with his parents as they gathered up their things. Frisk started to go with them, but Chara tugged on her hand. “Hey. Let’s talk a while.”

“Okay.” Frisk walked with her out of the house and down the halls. Eventually, they made their way through Hotland and to the Riverperson, who waived the fee to go to Snowdin. The two traveled through the crunching snow until they were able to pass through the open door to the Ruins. They passed through Toriel’s house and all the way to the end of the Ruins, where the patch of golden flowers lay. The patch had sunken in a little.

Chara sat down with Frisk next to her. “This is where I’d been buried. I woke up… on the flowers. Just like you’d woken up. As if it had all been a bad dream.” Her eyes unfocused. “Like all this… was just a nightmare. There Asriel was, standing above me, hand out and smiling. For a moment, I thought I’d survived the illness. That I woke up with Asriel ready to go on our next adventure. That all of this was just a bad dream.” She sighed. “But that’s not true. All of this had happened… down to the illness and my death and his death. My failures, his struggle…”

“But it’s better now!” Frisk interrupted. “You and me and Asriel, we’ll be able to fix all of this!”

“Do you really want to go back to the humans?”

“Huh?” Frisk tipped her head.

Chara lifted her head and looked into Frisk’s eyes. “Do you want to go back to the humans? To those who abused you and hurt you, just like they hurt me, and they hurt Asriel?”

“Not all humans hurt me,” Frisk pointed out. “I’m sure there were people who loved you, Chara.”

Chara shook her head and sighed. “Sometimes, up there, I wondered if the only one who had my back was my shadow. Frisk, people can be cruel, especially to those who are different. People who are blind. People with red eyes. It doesn’t matter. They’ll attack you. Then, when those people who attacked you see you dead, they use it as an excuse to do harm. Falling into the Underground was the best thing to ever happen to me, Frisk. Humans can be cruel. They started the war with monsters! They have the ability to do it again!”

“Then we won’t let them,” Frisk pointed out simply. “I know bad things have happened. Yeah, it does feel like lots of people weren’t on my side–not even my own father. But heck, that doesn’t mean they’re all evil. Even if a bunch of them are, not all of them. I-I mean, I had Cammie, after all. She’s proof, right?”

“How can you say that? Frisk, you were trying to kill yourself! I know you were!”

Frisk winced. “Yeah. I was. I was sad and scared and angry. I felt like no one loved me, no one cared for me. Even the person who did was weighed down by me. It would’ve been better if I left and never came back. But!” She took a deep breath. “I found a new family.”

“About that…” Chara drummed her fingers on her knees. “I don’t think you should go with them–Toriel and Asgore.”

“Why not?”

“Toriel goes into weird fits. Until she can get that under control, she could hurt you. Imagine this: it’s you and me. She sees me doing something, says hello, and goes on her way. I leave to do something, and you go to where I was, maybe looking for something or whatever. She comes back, thinks you are me, and greets you. But when she finds out you aren’t me and I’m not there, she’ll freak out. So, until she gets better, I think it’s not safe for you there.”

Frisk looked at her own lap. “What about King Asgore?”

“…he and Toriel aren’t going to be living together,” Chara stated plainly. “And… I just have a bad feeling. He was–is–my father, just like Toriel is my mother. But right now, things are rough with both of them. Frisk, he’s killed human children! He, he killed… kids.” Cara interrupted herself abruptly.

Frisk nodded slowly. “I know. It was his duty, but it was not excusable.”

“It was his duty because he _made it_ his duty.”

“You’re talking about someone you knew,” Frisk accused. “Toriel almost killed kids, but you aren’t saying anything bad about her. A-and you insulted him before we left a few minutes ago.”

Chara nodded. For a few moments, she didn’t speak. Then, with a short sigh, she said, “Yeah. I know. And, he did. I don’t… it was a long time ago, but…”

Frisk gasped, “You said you’d gotten sick!”

Chara jumped. “What? Well, I mean… yes, I did. I did get sick.”

“Is that the stupid plan?” Frisk prompted. “The one Asriel talked about? Did Asgore encourage you or something?”

“No, he didn’t,” Chara stated. “He didn’t encourage me. And our ‘stupid plan’ fell through. We didn’t actually do anything big. I mean, we got so far as to make the plan. But before… before he could gather any flowers, Mom found us. We didn’t tell her. I don’t know what she was thinking, and she never told us, but maybe she guessed it was something bad. She sort of… well, convinced us that whatever we were doing was really dangerous. Then she baked a pie and hugged us both.” Chara chuckled. “She told me we were going out on a family trip to Waterfall. It was supposed to be a surprise, but she thought we needed the confirmation. That… that what we were about to do was foolish in more ways than one.” Chara shook her head. “That plan _supposedly_ failed.”

“…then what happened?”

“I was poisoned,” Chara stated bitterly. “Asgore did it. He knew that buttercups weren’t poisonous if you cooked them. So, he got our opinion on this ‘ice tea’ or something he was trying out. It was awful. We didn’t really need to say anything before he said that iced tea really wasn’t his thing either. I got really, really sick after that. I didn’t know why. No one did. But, as I got too weak to really talk or move, Asgore told me that… that I was doing everyone a favor. That what he had to do was a very hard decision, but it was something that I would’ve agreed with if it wasn’t for Toriel. I told Asriel, when he came back and Asgore left, that I wanted him to go through with the plan. He was beyond shocked and very apprehensive and grief-stricken and betrayed. But I didn’t want him to know it was his own _father._ I was his best friend, but Asgore’s his father.”

“That’s awful,” Frisk whispered.

“Yeah. Haha. It was certainly was. After I died, Asriel took my soul and left. Then, heh, then we got murdered by those humans. They thought Asriel killed me. They blamed Asriel for what Asgore did. I made sure that when we stumbled home, they knew that _Asriel_ didn’t fight back. In reality, he tried to fight back. He had the power to end them all. And… and he had the will. He didn’t want to, but he _had_ to. His people needed him to be strong.” Chara laughed. “He was so much like Asgore that I panicked and got us both killed because _I_ took over and refused to fight. But when Asriel took control again, he remembered his own morals. He knew he was dying and he didn’t want me to rot out there. So he brought me back. If it wasn’t for Asgore, I wouldn’t died. If it wasn’t for me, _Asriel_ wouldn’t have died. I shouldn’t have said I was continuing our plan. I shouldn’t have told him anything.”

Chara laughed. It was a cold sound, harsh and without joy. “Ironic, right? I run away from the humans. I hate humanity with every fiber of my being. But when I got the chance to finally get revenge and to help free my loved ones, I screw it up. Then, of course, I preserve his soul and he turns into Flowey. Rather than giving him his soul back then and there, I waited for an _opportune time._ Then you come down here and befriend him. I was connected to you, I could hear your thoughts just as you could hear me. And I _still_ ignored you and let you–”

Chara was cut off as Frisk pulled her in for a hug. “No, Chara. It’s not your fault. I don’t believe it.”

“But it _is._ I got him killed.”

“No, humans from your village did that,” Frisk chided. “You were doing what was best. You didn’t want anyone to die. You didn’t want Asriel to get hurt. I didn’t exactly tell you how I felt, so that wasn’t your fault, either. You’re a great friend. And, if you really don’t want to, I won’t stay with them. But I’m sure that he’s changed. I’m sure that with Asriel back and the barrier broken, he’ll get better. Everyone will.”

Chara hugged Frisk back, a chuckle caught in her throat. “You would say that, wouldn’t you?”

“Mhm! You know me too well, don’t you?”

“Honestly… I don’t know,” Chara admitted. “But… you know, that’s the fun part. With Asriel back and us living with Mom again and the barrier broken… maybe things will change.”

“Yeah! We’ll be best friends and we’ll convince everyone to get along and everyone will get to see the sun and be happy!” Frisk agreed. “We’ll get to do everything we could have ever wanted! Now that you’re here and I have a family, too, everything will definitely work out.”

Chara let go and looked Frisk in the eyes. “Yeah. A family. You… I really bloced you off from them, didn’t I?”

“I’m sure I’ll fit in somewhere,” Frisk replied with a shrug.

“Hmm… Stay with the Dogi? The skeleton brothers? Eh… on second thought, I don’t think you’d like dog food. And those skeletons probably don’t use a heater. Well, you’re friends with Undyne, right? Even if Dr. Alphys is creepy, you and Captain Undyne seem to get along.”

Frisk smiled at that. “Yeah! Captain Undyne is really cool! In some ways, she reminds me of Cammie. That would be so cool…” Her smile left her. “But I don’t think it would be fair to ask… you know since they probably, I dunno, wanna do their own thing or something. I mean–ow!” Frisk yelped and rubbed her arm.

“Don’t say that!” Chara scolded. “You’re my best friend and you’re amazing. We can ask them, if you want.”

Frisk chuckled uncertainly. “Y-yeah. I mean, it would be really cool… but I don’t know how to ask.”

“Let me do the talking.”

“Alright. Well… I guess I should thank you, then.” Frisk shrugged and dug through her bag. She pulled out the chocolate bar.

Chara oohed and took the candy bar. “I love chocolate! I almost forgot about this!”

Frisk chuckled. “Well, it was by the flowers. I wanted to share it when this was all over.”

Chara elbowed Frisk and, when she opened it, snapped it in half. “There, Frisk.”

Frisk took it. “Thanks, Chara.”

As they ate the candy, Frisk engaged Chara in story-telling. They both shared fun stories. Most of Chara’s revolved around being with Asriel, while Frisk’s tended to be with Cameline.

Frisk shuttered. “Brr! Did it just get colder in here?”

Chara blinked. “Now that you say it… no. Just a bit warmer. Weird.”

Frisk raised an eyebrow. “Really? That’s strange.”

“It’s pretty weird…” Chara muttered. “Heh. I can feel it, though. As a spirit, I couldn’t feel anything. For a while, I was so desperate to feel, I wished I could hurt. I tried dipping my hand in lava or jumping into a freezing river or stomping on traps. But they never reacted to my presence. I never felt it. But now I can.”

Frisk smiled and shivered. “What’s even making this place so cold?”

Chara raised an eyebrow. “Are you okay? You’re shivering.”

“H-huh? Yeah. I just–why am I so _cold?!_ ” Frisk curled up.

Chara stared at her for a while. She picked up Frisk’s hand. “Yeah. You’re very cold.” She held out Frisk’s hand and let go. “Okay, so, I know this sounds crazy. But we just went through some intense stuff and I replaced part of your soul with Asriel’s, right? Try… try casting a spell.”

Frisk held out her hands and cupped them together. “Cast a spell? That _does_ sound crazy. …but really neat!” She concentrated on her hands. “So, uh… magic! Uh… now? Uh…”

“When Asgore was teaching Asriel how to use magic, he said to bring the power from his soul and concentrate on bringing it into reality. You try.”

Frisk nodded. “Okay, okay.” She took a deep breath and concentrated on her patchwork soul. Then, blue sparkles glimmered around her fingers. A snowball the size of her fist swelled up in her hands.

For a moment, both of them were silent.

“Whoa…” Chara breathed. “That’s amazing.”

Frisk smiled. “Don’t you mean it’s ‘cool?’”

Chara rolled her eyes and Frisk laughed.

“Anyway,” Frisk tossed up the snowball a few inches. “–what about you?”

“I didn’t… well…” Chara thought for a few moments. “It would be sort of strange. But I’ve been sharing his power for a very long time.” She held up her hand. After a little while, puffs of scarlet flame flickered over her fingers. Chara oohed and held her hands together. The little tongues of flame burst into a full fireball hissing and spitting in her hands. She gasped as Frisk tossed her snowball into Chara’s hands, causing the fire to go out and Frisk’s snowball to dissipate. _“Hey!”_

Frisk shrugged and grinned. “Sorry. I guess I was being a bit… _cold._ ” She laughed and hopped to her feet to avoid Chara’s hit. Chara jumped up and chased Frisk being into the Ruins, venting and laughing threats at her. Frisk threw half-hearted jabs and jokes back at her. When they got past the long hallway, Chara finally managed to catch up and launch herself at Frisk. The two went down, tumbling into a pile of crunchy scarlet leaves. Chara pinned Frisk, puffing. “Ha! Got you!”

“You got me,” Frisk huffed.

“Darn right!” Chara let go and sat down next to her. “It was so fun running around here with Asriel. We always played too rough.” She chuckled.

“Cammie did, too. Mom said she just had a lot of spirit. Hey! Like you!”

“You spent way too much time with Sans. It’s fitting I get you out of that situation.”

Frisk snickered. “Yeah, yeah.” She got up. “Come on! Let’s see how everyone’s doing.”

“How about we wait a while?” Chara prompted. “You know, until they don’t need any more help packing?”

“Come on!” Frisk took her arm and pulled her to her feet. She rolled her eyes and, laughing, got up and walked with Frisk.

They wandered the Underground, greeting people and checking up on preparations. While most people where leaving, some monsters stayed in their homes. The drunken horse waved them off saying something about “local culture.” Grillby would pour him a drink while packing up his bar. Fuku, the green-fire elemental, greeted the two kids as she helped her father.

The dogs greeted them with their usual enthusiasm. Dogeressa checked Frisk over to make sure she was good while Dogamy sniffed Chara to “commit Frisk’s friend” to memory. Lesser Dog rubbed up against Frisk and, when she petted him, his neck grew longer. Greater Dog tackled Frisk, bringing them all down. Doggo, Dogeressa, and Dogamy managed to stay away. Chara managed to squeeze out just fast enough to see Endogeny tear through the town and land on the dogpile.

 

Eventually, they made it to Captain Undyne’s house. Shuffling came from inside. When the two went to investigate, they found Captain Undyne and Dr. Alphys looking through their things and tossing them into “keep” and “trash” piles. Rather, Captain Undyne threw them, Dr. Alphys organized them.

As Captain Undyne tossed the entire silverware-and-mini-weapon drawer into the “keep” pile, she spotted the two. “Hey! Come in! Alphys, we got two punks sitting on our doorstep!”

Dr. Alphys looked up from a box of weapons. “Oh! H-hello you two. What bring y-you here?” Although Dr. Alphys fumbled over her words, Frisk was happy to see emotion tentatively reappearing in her eyes.

Chara walked in first, Frisk by her side. “Frisk and I wanted to ask if we can help you. And if she could come with you. And live with you.”

Frisk squeaked, a redness tinging her cheeks. “Chara!”

“I don’t believe in beading around the bush.”

Captain Undyne burst into laughter while Dr. Alphys’ eyes grew round and a slight flush came to her yellow scaly cheeks. “O-oh! After a-a-all the horrible things I-I did? After w-we tried to kill you?”

Frisk nodded. “Yep! You guys are great!”

Captain Undyne put her hand to her mouth and took deep, hitched breaths to level her breathing. “Kid, you are hilarious!”

Frisk’s smile fell a little. “Is that a no?”

“What? Of course that’s not a no!” Captain Undyne huffed. “Since Mad Dummy’s gone off with his cousins, I’ll need a new punching bag!”

Chara squinted. Frisk gasped. “Really? Cool!”

Captain Undyne grinned. “That’s the spirit! Now help us pack up!”

Hours past of hard work. Monsters helped other monsters, families packed their things, and good-byes were said to those rare few staying behind. Chara would describe something, they’d confer on what to keep or throw away, and then Captain Undyne would challenge Frisk to throw stuff in the throw away pile as hard as she could. Some things broke, some things spilled, but all four of them were grinning and exhausted by the end–even Dr. Alphys, who was organizing things… and catching “keep” items that overshot the keep pile. Once they’d brought their stuff outside, Captain Undyne suggested a cooking lesson and brought out a pot and some healthy ingredients for spaghetti.

The four, laden with moving items, left the burning home.

Finally, after a millennium of being trapped, monsters felt the sun’s dying rays. Frisk and Chara joined Asriel by the lip of the trail overlooking the valley where they would soon live. They were going back. Back to the valley, most of it empty and bordering the near city. Back to the land of free will and fresh breezes and refreshing rains. Back to where the flowers grow.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, look at that! We got a happy ending! :) Right?
> 
> Okay, but, seriously. I had so much fun writing this. After months and months, it's finally finished. It's opened a possibility for many, many more. I'm hoping that one day, everything might be able to coalesce into something greater. Or perhaps it will stay just as it is, one of my favorite fan-projects I've ever worked on.
> 
> I guess you can have some last-minute lore here. Take it if you want it! And even if you don't, I guess. Haha
> 
> For those interested in the future: I am NOT done with Undertale. Far from it, my dudes! Just like I'm not done with Gravity Falls. Thank you SO MUCH for following along with the story. Everyone who has joined me on this wild ride. Your support means the absolute world to me. Haha I'd have published this story no matter what, but your support really kept me going. After all, if a story's told but no one's around to hear it, did it really make a difference?
> 
> So for now, farewell and I'll see you in the next story! :)

**Author's Note:**

> This is a Monday-Wednesday-Friday sort of deal. Updates at 12:00 PM Central Time Zone! :D
> 
> Hope you guys like it!


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